Sometimes I think that a dish I make is going to be far too humble to find its way here, but then I do a double take and scramble for my camera gear. This is one of those cases. A simple fillet of fish nestled in greens with a bit of dressing. It’s so uncomplicated and unassuming that it nearly escaped my attention yet in its own way it’s the perfect dish, especially if you’re in a hurry.
As with anything, there is a story behind this little bit of perfection. Our two oldest boys had joined some friends at a Wednesday night church function, which left just the littlest and myself at home for dinner. Since his idea of a good dinner and mine differ wildly (Chicken!), I decided to let him have his favorite dish (Chicken!) and fend for myself.
The freezer did not disappoint. It yielded a bag of almost-forgotten mahi mahi fillets that had been hiding behind something far less nutritious (Chicken!) so while I finished getting the little guy’s dinner ready I tossed a few pieces of fish under cold running water to defrost.
By the time Ll’ B. was done eating his gourmet meal of chicken strips with a side of grapes and bananas and was safely tucked off in his room the fish was ready to go. The weather has been foul here for the past few days, so I decided that perhaps I could trick nature into bringing summer our way by making something light; a salad felt like just the thing, but with a bite.
So toss some arugula with some greens, season and cook the fish and plate, drizzle with Italian dressing… And realize that from the aroma alone, this dish just had to have a place in the spotlight. So scramble for the camera, the EGO light and reflector so that I can share something simple and perfect with the world:
My plea to nature must have worked, because today is bright and sunny. Birds are singing, the squirrels are playing in the back yard and the temperature is comfortable. It looks like summer may finally be on its way. All because of a piece of fish, some greens and a little house dressing.
And that’s the story of the simplest dish I’ve made this year. Cook time about 6 minutes, total prep 10 minutes. Perfect flavor and buttery texture: Priceless. This one is a winner for any time you need a great meal in a huge hurry without having to do any planning, and it’s perfect for summer as well… Now that it’s here.
Pan Seared Mahi Mahi with Spring Greens and Arugula
Ingredients
- 1 Mahi Mahi fillet (about 3 ounces)
- Spring Greens
- Arugula
- Your favorite Italian style salad dressing
- Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Season fish with salt, pepper and paprika. Lay fish skin side down in hot skillet and cook approximately 2 minutes. Carefully flip the fish with a wide spatula and cook for an additional 3 to 3 minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix together equal amounts of spring greens and arugula in a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of Italian dressing and toss.
- Place greens on a serving plate. Lay fish skin side up in the center of greens and drizzle wit another teaspoon of dressing. Serve immediately.
- Share and Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 341Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 1075mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 41g
What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:
This was a quick, no frills meal and as such, it was just about perfect. As for additions; it could have handled a ton of them if I’d been interested, but to be quite honest this dish was just right for the day and as such needs no additions at all.
Links to other recipes like this:
- Seared Mahi in Slow roasted Tomato-Tarragon Broth, from What we’re Eating
- Seared Mahi Mahi with a Citrus soy glaze, from Lindaraxa’s Garden
Do you have a simple yet sublime recipe that you reach for on a hectic night? I’m sure you do. I’m also sure that we’d all love to hear about it, so drop a note in the comments and let us know about it!
