Gone Fishing

Since it has been almost a month since I have updated my blog with a recipe, I figured today was the day to add something new.

When summer rolls around we like to eat fish at least once a week. There is nothing better than baked or grilled fresh restaurant quality fish for dinner! Cod, Halibut, and Mahi-Mahi are the favorites in this house. Especially Mahi-Mahi with its slightly sweet taste. A little lemon pepper herb crust, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and it is mouth watering good!

We usually grill the fish in a foil pan but the other night our propane ran out so we hard to bake it. Let me say it was so good. The mahi-mahi was still tender and flaky.

Here is how we like to prepare and season our Mahi-Mahi:

1. Buy fish the day you plan to serve it. Don't be afraid to ask the fish monger to smell the fish to make sure it doesn't smell fishy and look at the texture of the fish meat. It shouldn't look dull or discolored.

2. When you get home, store the fish in the fridge

3. When you are ready to fix the fish for dinner, wash it and pat it dry with paper toweling.

4. Remove the skin if wanted. To do this hold a very sharp knife at an angle with your other hand flat on the fish. Make smooth strokes at an angle to remove the fish meat from the skin.

5. Add a little extra virgin olive oil to the top side of the fish (if baking) or both sides (if grilling) and spread it around with your fingers.

6. Sprinkle the fish (both sides if grilling, on one side if baking) with lemon herb seasoning or lemon pepper. If you are using the lemon herb seasoning, also add freshly ground black pepper. I also add just a little freshly ground sea salt.

7. Preheat oven to 375* is you are baking the fish. Bake 12 minutes, then look at the fish. The last two times I have baked the Mahi-Mahi, I have had to bake it an additional 2 minutes due to thickness. The fish will be white and flaky when properly cooked.

8. For grilling, place the fish in a foil pan. Set the BBQ to medium-high (more medium) heat. Grill the first side for 5-7 minutes. Then flip the fish, and grill another 5-7 minutes. Again the fish should be white and flaky.

9. Serve with tartar sauce and freshly sliced lemon wedges.

I like to serve fruit salad or homemade pasta salad with the fish along with roasted corn on the cob. If you bake the fish and choose to make my roasted corn on the cob, begin to bake the corn 25 minutes before you place the fish in. Thenbake it an additional 15 minutes so it will be ready when the fish is done.

Tomorrow I am making Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Pizza for dinner. It's a very close knock-off of California Pizza Kitchen's pizza.