Fish cookery

Fish Cookery

Regardless of where you live and the type of fish you choose to cook, almost any fish (although I'm not sure about fishsticks) have some health benefits -- from the Omega 3 oils. Some fish contain higher amounts of Omega 3 than others: Atlantic herring has the highest and Haddock has the least amount of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. But there are a lot of others in between those two. If you have a Whole Foods Market near where you live, then you're sure to find the freshest fish available.

I try to include fish or shellfish into a menu plan at least two or three times a week. When buying fish or shellfish from a fish store or fish department that has a high turnover, you can be fairly certain that the fish is as fresh as can be. Whole fresh fish doesn't smell of anything but the sea! The same "smell test" holds true for fish fillets. Look for clear eyes on whole fish, and if buying frozen fish or seafood, be sure it has been wrapped and stored properly for freezing.

Mahimahi
(Coryphaena hippurus)

Mahimahi are locally caught in peak months from March through May and September through November in Hawai'i. These Dolphin fish are also found in other oceans. Mahimahi is Hawai'i's best known fish among visitors to Paradise and is the most asked for in restaurants. Unfortunately, because of season and the high demand for fresh mahimahi, some eateries may use lower priced mahimahi flown in from Latin America and frozen fillets from Taiwan and Japan. It is usually only the up-scale restaurants in Hawai'i that will serve fresh mahimahi actually caught in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands. Fast-food and other lower priced restaurants utilize the imported mahimahi thereby making it affordable for these eateries. Each product, whether fresh or frozen, has its place in the market.

A simple preparation of mahimahi is my favorite way to enjoy this firm fish with a delicate flavor.

Ono Mahimahi
4 servings
("ono" (pronounced oh-no) is the Hawaiian word for delicious)

4 Mahimahi fillets, approximately 1 ½ lbs
1 cup all purpose flour
salt & pepper
2 eggs
2 Tbs vegetable oil (or 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs oil)
2 Tbs capers
1 - 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

Garnish

4 thin lemon slices
minced flat-leaf parsley

1. Place flour on a flat plate (or use a piece of waxed paper) and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Beat eggs in a shallow bowl.

2. Begin to heat oil or butter and oil mixture in a 12-inch non-stick fry pan over medium heat.

3. Dip a mahimahi fillet first in egg, then in flour and in egg again. Place prepared fillet in hot fry pan. Repeat with remaining fillets.

4. Sauté fillets for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Add capers and lemon juice and cook another 3 minutes.

5. Add a thin slice of lemon to each fillet and sprinkle with parsley. Spoon any juices over the fillets.

Serving suggestions: rice Pilaf or instant couscous and steamed or blanched snow peas or broccoli. Sautéed spinach is also a delicious accompaniment.

Ahi (Yellow Fin Tuna)
(Thunnus obesus)

There are two species of tuna caught in Hawai'i -- Bigeye and Yellowfin. In Hawai'i Tuna is known by its Hawaiian name ahi (pronounced ah-hee) literally translated "ahi" means "sudden fire". The name"ahi" derived from the experience Hawaiian fisherman had when line fishing for yellow fin tuna which is a fierce fighting fish - when the fishermen were pulling on the line to bring it in, the fish would take off in the opposite direction causing the line to run through their hands with so much friction as to cause heat - hence the Hawaiian word for "fire" or Ahi became the name of the yellow fin tuna - so whenever you see the redundant words "ahi tuna" on a menu, you'll know the real story!

The peak season for catching bigeye tuna in Hawai'i is from October through April and it's found in deeper cool waters. Having a higher fat content than yellowfin, bigeye is preferred for use as sashimi. Hence the term "sashimi grade" is used by wholesalers, restaurants and others when referring to the highest quality grade of fresh tuna. The term "sushi grade" is not used in Hawai'i. Sushi is not always made with raw fish -- but sashimi is always served as raw fish and must always be of the highest quality.

Ahi is found on menus everywhere in Hawai'i and in up-scale seafood restaurants in many other cities in the U.S. Here is a grand preparation of ahi to serve four.

Seared Hawaiian Ahi with Hawaiian Pineapple and Maui Onion Relish

4 ahi fillets (sashimi grade) (7 oz. each) (any fresh tuna)

Marinade:

1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste
2 Tbs white sesame seeds
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp powdered ginger
¼ cup Hawaiian macadamia oil (or other nut oil)

In a glass mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Marinate ahi fillets for 15 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. In the meantime, make the Relish recipe and reserve. Also, make the red bell pepper pesto and reserve.

Relish

1 cup Hawaiian pineapple, cut in small dice (any fresh pineapple)
½ cup Maui onion, diced (or any sweet onion)
½ lg. Red bell pepper, sliced julienne
3 Tbs fresh sage, chopped
3 Tbs Chinese parsley (cilantro) chopped
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
2 Tbs garlic, minced
2 Tbs Hawaiian ginger, chopped (or any fresh ginger)
2 Tbs soy sauce
¼ cup Macadamia nut oil (any nut oil)
salt & freshly ground black pepper

In a glass bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well using a rubber spatula. Set aside until ahi is ready.

Red Bell Pepper and Macadamia Nut Pesto Sauce

3 red bell pepper, blanched and peeled
1 Tbs garlic, minced
¼ cup Macadamia nuts, chopped
¼ cup Macadamia nut oil

Process bell peppers and garlic in the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade until smooth. Add macadamia nuts and blend again. Add salt and pepper to taste. With the machine running, add the macadamia nut oil in a slow steady stream until completely blended. Transfer sauce to a plastic squeeze bottle with a nozzle to help in placing sauce on the cooked ahi.

Cooking and Serving Method

In a hot wok, sear the marinated ahi fillets for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side. (If you don't like it too raw, just sear for one minute longer on each side) Put an equal amount of the relish in the center of 4 serving plates and place one seared seared ahi fillet. Serve with white short grain rice or instant couscous grain.

Ann's Kitchen Tip

Mix in some chopped scallion (green onion) into the rice. After the rice is cooked and you've added the green onion, spoon rice into a small glass custard cup. Pat the rice down with the back of a spoon and then invert the custard cup onto the serving plate. Repeat for the other three portions of rice. The rice will hold together in the form of the custard cup for a nice presentation.