Thinking about what my anchor ingredient for dinner would be the next day, I took some mahi mahi out of the freezer to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. With a number of fresh vegetables to choose from, I wasn’t sure what I would create, but that’s how I roll. You also can learn how to prepare fish with ease.
Once dinnertime approached, I hadn’t given it much thought, but I noticed a tablespoon of butter sitting on a dish on the counter and decided to pull out some lemons and capers to go with it while I contemplated what else to make. Pasta is quick and a lemon caper sauce could dress both the fish and pasta. Check.
Put a pot of water on to boil while I decided on a vegetable that would complement the other items. Asparagus would be good. But I imagined serving a crisp New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with this lemony fish dish and asparagus destroys the flavor of wine. So, I decided on broccoli instead. I remembered a lovely lunch at a neighborhood Italian trattoria where I had ordered chicken piccata and it was served with broccoli. It had been perfect.
So I began to prepare my own “restaurant meal”. Yes, I cook not just because we have to eat. The goal is to always enjoy a dining experience.
Cut into florets, the broccoli could steam over the boiling pasta while I cooked the mahi mahi in a separate skillet.
I decided on a thin spaghetti which would cook for 6-7 minutes, which was about the same time I needed to cook the broccoli and the fish. I thought the fine texture of this noodle was especially appropriate for the delicate flesh of the fish. Simple and quick.
How Will You Flavor It?
I looked into my spice cabinet to decide on herbs that would enhance the fish. Hmm…I hadn’t used dill in a while and decided that would be refreshing with the other ingredients I had chosen. So, after blotting the fish with a paper towel, I sprinkled the filets with seasoned salt and dill weed. I juiced a couple of lemons, chopped some red onion and garlic and pulled some capers out of the jar. Could you throw some anchovies in there? Absolutely! I didn’t this time, but they would also be great here…What else might you add?
Step by Step
Put the pasta into the boiling pot of water. Stir until you’re sure it’s not sticking together. Add a steamer basket full of broccoli florets on top of the boiling pot. Season with red pepper flakes and salt. Cover loosely with a lid. Remove once fork tender and bright green, about 6 minutes, which was about same time that my pasta needed to become al dente. Feel free to use a longer cooking pasta as long as you don’t overcook the broccoli.
Season fish and put into a hot skillet with butter and olive oil after sautéing some diced onions in it until they’re golden. Flip fillets after a couple minutes, and add chopped garlic, capers and lemon juice. Reduce heat and cook until they flake easily. A couple minutes on each side is all I needed for these small fillets. Remember, less is more when cooking fish.
Reserve fish on a platter while you toss pasta with the sauce in the skillet. Top with fish and serve broccoli on the side. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy! Yes, we enjoy broccoli this way, but if you have fussier eaters at home, find a way to dress it up a bit more. Flavor up a little mayonnaise for a quick aioli, for example. Got some yogurt? Tzatziki would be awesome, especially with the dill on the fish…hmm…I’m getting hungry again thinking about the additional possibilities! What ideas do you have?
Ingredients:
- fish filets
- pasta
- lemons
- butter
- olive oil
- capers
- onion
- garlic
- dill
- broccoli
- red pepper flakes
- seasoned salt
Like the idea of a quick sauce to dress both fish and pasta? Read Pantry Pasta Perfection next.