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Main Dishes

Pesto-crusted Mahi-mahi With Blistered Tomatoes and Lemon Butter Sauce - 2022
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Recipe courtesy of Steve Levesque

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INGREDIENTS
Fish
  • 4 six-ounce mahi-mahi portions
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Tomatoes
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 whole clove garlic, peeled
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
  • 1 stick cold butter, sliced into 8 pats
  • 6 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced shallot
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Extra lemon wedges, for garnish

PREPARATION
Fish
  • In medium bowl, mix pesto and breadcrumbs together until they form a coarse paste. Season to taste.
  • Place mahi-mahi portions on a large baking sheet.
  • Spread pesto mixture evenly across all four portions. Use your fingers to pat the pesto mixture down into the fish to form an even crust.
  • Bake at 375 for 12-16 minutes, until cooked through. Fish should reach an internal temperature of approximately 145 degrees F.
Tomatoes
  • While the fish cooks, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet. When oil shimmers, add tomatoes and garlic clove and let cook without stirring for 2-3 minutes. 
  • Season tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
  • When tomatoes have begun to blister, gently stir to turn them over to blister the other sides. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring minimally, until tomatoes are softened and have charred and blistered on all sides.
Sauce
  • Heat oil in a medium, nonreactive skillet over medium heat.
  • When oil simmers, add shallot and sauté for 1 minute until shallot has softened.
  • Whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and remove sauce from heat. Let cool 2-3 minutes, until sauce has stopped simmering but is still warm.
  • Whisk in butter one pat at a time, whisking constantly after each addition until the whole pat is melted into the sauce before adding another.
  • Continue whisking in butter pats until all butter is incorporated into the sauce. Serve immediately.
  • If your sauce breaks, whisk or blend with an immersion blender to emulsify it again.
Assembly
Drizzle a bit of sauce on the bottom of a plate or pasta bowl. Place pesto crusted mahi-mahi on top of the sauce and top with blistered tomatoes. Add a lemon wedge for garnish and serve immediately.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
  • Joan added a little butter on top of the coated mahi-mahi before baking.
  • She also plated the mahi-mahi on a bed of spinach sautéed in olive oil.
  • Pairs wonderfully with Orzo Pilaf.
  • Serve with a nice glass of Willamette Valley pinot noir rosé!

Steve and Anne Levesque are dear friends of the Texas Wozny's. This is a dish Steve served us for dinner a couple of years ago, and it has become one of our family's favorites! A terrific summer meal that is fancy and delicious!


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  • Home
  • Breakfast
  • Breads
  • Pickles, Preserves & Relishes
  • Appetizers & Starters
  • Salads
  • Soups & Stews
  • Main Dishes
  • Sauces
  • Vegetables & Sides
  • Cookies, Candy & Desserts
  • Beverages
  • Non-Foods
  • About Our Cookbook
  • What's Cooking