A lot of people seem to have reached Slow Food Fast recently by searching for mahi mahi with artichoke hearts, and all I had up about it was the picture above, so I thought I would post the actual recipe. Admittedly, it’s not very much of a recipe, what you see is what you get.
But the artichoke hearts aren’t just for decoration, they have lemon juice and olive oil as well as garlic, and they shield the top of the mahi to keep it moist and tender while it’s cooking–essential for any steaky fish that tends to dry out if you overcook it even slightly.
This recipe is pretty much just what it looks like in the picture, so I’m not going to give actual quantities–they just depend on how much fish you want to make. I do mine in the toaster oven (about 3 fillets or a little less than a pound) to keep from wasting huge amounts of heating (and in LA right now, cooling afterward). So maybe 15-20 pieces of marinated artichoke heart and a couple of chopped olives will cover things well enough.
For this I use my microwave-marinated artichoke hearts, which only take a few minutes start to finish and store well in the fridge. But if you’re doing mahi for a thousand, obviously you want to invest in the BIG econobarrel jar of Cara Mia…
Mahi Mahi with Artichoke Hearts
- Mahi mahi fillets, fresh or thawed frozen, rinsed gently under cold water
- marinated artichoke hearts–enough to cover the fillets to your liking, not enough to break the bank
- fresh sprigs of rosemary or thyme if possible; dried or frozen if that’s what you have
- a few Kalamata, Alfonso, Gaeta or other good brined olives, pitted and quartered or chopped
- decent olive oil for drizzling
- squeeze of lemon juice
- fresh-cracked black peppercorns optional
Preheat the oven to 375-400 F, or if you’re cooking in the toaster oven, figure 350F starting when you put the fish in, since it’s smaller and the heat’s closer to the fish.
Lay the rinsed fillets in a single layer in a foil-lined pan, and cover with a layer of marinated artichoke heart quarters. Scatter olive pieces and herbs evenly over the top, drizzle on olive oil and lemon juice, and grind pepper over the top if you like. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, check for doneness by cutting into one of the center fillets with the side of a fork or by trying to pierce one–if it’s still raw, it’ll resist, and if it’s cooked it’ll separate or flake. Try not to overcook, you want it cooked through but still juicy as it separates. If it’s only a little bit pink in the middle when you check, shut off the oven and leave the fish inside for another minute or so to finish in the residual heat.
Filed under: fish, sauces and condiments, Vegetabalia | Tagged: artichoke hearts, mahi mahi, olives, summer recipes, toaster oven recipes |
Slow Food Fast 