Chris Schlesinger & John Willoughby
(more info)
Grilled Orange-Cumin Mahi Mahi with Smoky Summer Vegetable
Hash
from License
to Grill (William Morrow and Company, 1997)
Mahi mahi, aka dolphinfish ( but no relation to the Flipper variety
of dolphin) is a true grilling fish. The slightly pink flesh is
sweet and mild, and the large- flaked texture holds up extremely
well to the grilling process. Although mahi is thought of as a
tropical fish, many are landed along the East Coast during the
summer months. This independent fish doesn't travel in schools,
and is caught with hook and line rather than nets.
In this recipe, the cumin helps form a crusty, flavorfully crisp
exterior, which is set up by the tender vegetables that are grilled
and then chopped up in a hash-like concoction. If you can't locate
mahi mahi, you can substitute steaks of mackerel, tuna, bluefish,
mako shark, pompano, or swordfish, adjusting the cooking time
accordingly.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2
ears corn, husked, desilked, in blanched in boiling salted water
for 2 minutes, and drained
- 2
medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1-inch planks
- 2
medium summer squash, cut lengthwise into 1-inch planks
- 1
red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch rings
- 1
red bell pepper, halved and seeded
- 2
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1
tablespoon minced garlic
- 2
tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- 1
tablespoon roughly chopped fresh oregano
- 2
tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 5
to 7 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 4
8-ounce mahi mahi steaks, about 1 inch thick
- Zest
of 1 orange (orange part only), removed in strips and minced
- 2
tablespoons ground cumin
- 2
tablespoons vegetable oil
1. Put the corn, zucchini, summer squash, onion, and bell pepper
into a medium bowl along with the olive oil and salt and pepper
to taste and toss well to coat the vegetables. Lay the vegetables
out on the grill over a medium-hot fire and, as they brown, flip
them over; turn the corn several times. When each vegetable is
nicely browned and cooked through, pull off the grill. You should
count on 3 to 4 minutes per side for the bell pepper; 4 to 5 minutes
per side for the zucchini, summer squash, and onions; and 5 to
7 minutes for the corn.
2. As soon as the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut the
corn kernels off the cob and cut all the other vegetables into
bite-sized chunks. Combine all of the vegetables in a bowl, add
the garlic, cilantro, oregano, lime juice and Tabasco, toss well,
set aside.
3. Sprinkle the mahi mahi with salt and pepper to taste. In
a small bowl combine the orange zest, cumin, and vegetable oil
and mix well. Coat the mahi generously with this mixture and grill
over the medium-hot fire for 5 to 6 minutes per side. To check
for doneness: Cut into one of the mahi steaks and peek inside;
it should be opague with no pink. Remove the fish from the fire.
Put a generous helping of the vegetable hash on each plate, top
with a mahi steak, and serve warm.
Chris
Schlesinger grew up in Virginia and, at age eighteen,
dropped out of school to wash dishes. He soon graduated to fry cook,
went on to receive his formal training at the Culinary Institute
of America, and subsequently cooked in restaurants ranging from
Hawaiian burger joints to New England's finest dining rooms. In
1985, he and partner Cary Wheaton opened the East Coast Grill in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in 1987, they opened
Jake
and Earl's Dixie Barbecue next door.
John Willoughby
was born and raised in Iowa and graduated form Harvard University
in 1970. He has worked as a community organizer, legal services
advocate, health administrator and free-lance writer in the Boston
area, and for three years worked part-time with Chris Schlesinger
in the kitchen of the East Coast Grill. He has published articles
about food in several national magazines and is the feature writer
for Cook's Magazine.
