Enhance mahi-mahi with lemon-caper sauce

I encountered this holiday recipe during my recent trip to Maui.

For quite a while, I was not that fond of mahi-mahi, mainly because I could not find an appropriate fish supplier. (Fresh mahi-mahi is generally found in specialty stores that offer a wide array of fresh seafood.)

After ordering mahi-mahi several times in different restaurants, either grilled or pan-fried, I was inspired to experiment with few recipes.

Since mahi-mahi is a dense, firm fish full of flavor and very versatile, it can accommodate all kinds of salsas, lemongrass, ginger sauce or a lemon-caper sauce.

We will be serving fresh ono and mahi-mahi at Café Collage for the next weekend.

GRILLED MAHI-MAHI WITH LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

2 pounds mahi-mahi filets

Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces butter

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1⁄4 cup capers, rinsed and dried

1⁄2 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

Preparation

Season the mahi-mahi filets with the salt and pepper and brush with the olive oil. If you do not have a grill, you can use a non-stick frying pan. If you have a grill, be sure to clean and oil it before using.

If you are pan-frying the fish, melt 4 ounces of butter in the pan and then cook the fish for seven minutes on each side. If grilling, grill the fish for seven minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the grill or pan and set aside.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the tomatoes, capers and lemon juice. Cook for five minutes over high heat. Add the fish filets and cook for another five minutes in the lemon-caper sauce over low heat. Serve hot.

The ideal accompaniment would be any kind of mashed potatoes (I prefer Dijon mustard mashed potatoes) or rice pilaf served with a medley of seasonal vegetables.

Salim Ben Mami is head chef and owner of Café Collage restaurant in Oregon House, Calif. Contact him at 530-692-2555 or ccollage@succeed.net. His website is cafecollage.net.