Tiffany Haney
Mahi-mahi, also known as dolphinfish, dorado, or Coryphaena hippurus, is a popular fish to cook and eat. It is a mild and sweet-tasting lean white fish found in tropical and subtropical waters. Mahi-mahi is considered a sustainable seafood option and is usually sold as skinless fillets. Pan-frying is a common way to cook mahi-mahi, as it is a fast cooking process that can produce a nice brown crust on the fish without overcooking it. The key to successfully pan-frying mahi-mahi is to use a hot pan, dry fish, and a suitable oil with a high smoke point.
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What You'll Learn
Pan-searing mahi-mahi
Preparation:
First, decide whether to use fresh or frozen mahi-mahi fillets. Frozen fillets are convenient and reasonably priced, and they defrost in a water bath in about 30 minutes. You can use skin-on or skin-off fillets, but if using skin-on, make sure to cook it skin-side down first.
Next, pat the fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. If desired, trim the fillets into nice blocks, and use the trim in another recipe, such as poke in place of tuna.
Salt the fish 30 minutes before cooking, and if using a dry rub, mix the herbs and seasonings and apply them to the fish.
Cooking:
Use a cast iron skillet or non-stick frying pan for pan-searing mahi-mahi. Heat the pan thoroughly before adding oil, and use a small amount of high smoke-point oil, such as canola, grapeseed, rice bran, or safflower oil.
When the oil is hot and just starting to smoke, add the mahi-mahi fillets. Sear the fish undisturbed until well-browned on the bottom and the sides are cooked just past halfway up the fillets, about 4 minutes. For a nice brown crust, let the first side cook longer to develop the crust, then flip and cook the second side for a few minutes less.
For fillets less than 1 inch thick, there is no need to flip the fish, as it will cook through from basting. For thicker fillets, flip and continue to sear until just cooked through and the flesh flakes easily, about 2 to 4 minutes more, depending on thickness.
Sauce and Serving:
Transfer the seared mahi-mahi to a serving platter. To make a simple lemon butter sauce, add lemon juice, garlic, and salt to the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Then add lemon slices and butter, stirring each piece in one at a time until almost melted before adding the next. Finish the sauce with fresh parsley, then pour it over the fish.
Mahi-mahi pairs well with a green vegetable, such as asparagus or green beans, and something to soak up the sauce, like crusty bread, steamed rice, or mashed potatoes.
There you have it—a delicious and healthy pan-seared mahi-mahi dish, ready to be enjoyed!
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Using a cast-iron skillet
Mahi-mahi can be cooked in a cast-iron skillet to achieve a golden brown colour and a crust. The cast-iron skillet is great for cooking with high heat and giving the fish a delicious seared crust.
Seasoning the Mahi-Mahi
Before cooking, the mahi-mahi should be seasoned. The seasoning can be kept simple, as the fish has a naturally buttery taste. Salt, freshly ground black pepper, chilli powder, and cumin can be used to season the fish without overpowering its natural flavour.
Preparing the Cast-Iron Skillet
Avocado oil is recommended for cooking mahi-mahi in a cast-iron skillet. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of avocado oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. If you do not have avocado oil, butter and oil can be heated in the skillet instead.
Cooking the Mahi-Mahi
Once the oil is hot, place the mahi-mahi fillets into the skillet and cook for 4 minutes on one side. Then, carefully flip the fillets and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. The mahi-mahi will be done when it flakes easily and reaches an internal temperature of 137 degrees Fahrenheit.
Making a Sauce
To make a sauce to accompany the mahi-mahi, reduce the heat to medium and melt some butter in the skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking until fragrant. Then, add lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Cleaning the Cast-Iron Skillet
Cast-iron skillets should not be washed with soap or put in the dishwasher, as this will strip the seasoning from the skillet. Instead, use a cloth to wipe out any remaining food and oil.
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Preparing the fish
Mahi-mahi, also known as dolphinfish, dorado, or Coryphaena hippurus, is usually sold as skinless fillets. If you can, use fresh mahi-mahi. Frozen fillets that have been thawed can also be used, but fresh-from-the-ocean fish has something special about it.
Before cooking, trim the fillets into nice blocks and use the trim in a poke recipe in place of tuna. Salt the fish 30 minutes before cooking and pat it dry with paper towels. The thinner the fish, the hotter the heat. A normal piece of mahi-mahi will want medium-high heat. Anything thicker than 1 inch goes down to medium heat.
Heat the pan thoroughly before adding the oil. Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, grapeseed, rice bran, safflower, or canola. Add the oil to the hot pan and allow it to heat for another 1-2 minutes.
Mix flour and seasoning together in a shallow dish. Coat the fish fillets with the flour mixture, ensuring that the sides are covered. Shake off the excess.
When the oil is just beginning to smoke, place the fish skin side down, or in the case of mahi-mahi, the side that used to have the skin. Give the pan a little jiggle so the fish slides on the oil before searing. Sear undisturbed until well browned on the bottom and the sides are cooked just past halfway up the fillets. The moment the fish hits the pan, it will want to stick, so don't flip it if the piece of fish is less than 1 inch thick. It will cook through nicely just from the basting.
Flip the fillets and continue to sear until just cooked through and the flesh flakes easily. This should take 2-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The internal temperature should be 137°F or 58°C.
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Cooking the fish
Mahi-mahi, also known as dolphinfish, is a lean, white fish with a mild and sweet flavour. It is a great source of protein, iron and potassium. Pan-frying is an easy way to cook mahi-mahi, and you can get a great crispy crust without overcooking the fish.
To cook mahi-mahi in a pan, start by seasoning the fish with salt about 30 minutes before cooking. Then, pat the fish dry with paper towels and heat your pan. It is recommended to use a cast iron skillet or another heavy skillet. Heat the pan for about 2-3 minutes, and make sure it is hot before adding the oil. Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, grapeseed or rice bran oil.
Once the pan is hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Place the fish in the pan, skin-side down. Jiggle the pan slightly so that the fish slides on the oil before searing. This will help prevent the fish from sticking to the pan. Sear the fish undisturbed until it is browned on the bottom and the sides are cooked just past halfway up the fillets. This should take about 4 minutes. Then, flip the fillets and continue to sear until the fish is just cooked through and the flesh flakes easily. This will take another 2-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the pan and add some lemon juice, garlic and salt to the pan. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then add lemon slices and butter. Finish with some fresh parsley and pour the sauce over the fish.
Mahi-mahi pairs well with a variety of sides, such as mashed potatoes, green beans, crusty bread, steamed rice or mashed potatoes.
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Making a sauce
A lemon butter sauce is a great complement to the mild, sweet flavour of the mahi-mahi. It is also a good way to make use of the tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
To make the sauce, you will need butter, lemon juice, lemon slices, and lemon zest. Some recipes also include garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs like parsley.
First, heat some butter in the skillet over medium heat. If you are including garlic and red pepper flakes, add them to the skillet now and cook, stirring often, until fragrant (about 1 minute). Next, add the lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Then, add the lemon zest and arrange the lemon slices in the skillet.
If you want to add fresh herbs, scatter some chopped parsley (or another herb of your choice) over the sauce now. You can also season with more black pepper if desired.
Finally, remove the sauce from the heat and return the mahi-mahi to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the fish.
The lemon butter sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated, which is a helpful time-saving step if you are preparing a more complex meal.
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