COCONUT CRUSTED
MAHI MAHI

This recipe is easier to prepare if you do some prep work ahead of time. Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 30 minutes. Prepare both sauces and set them aside. Prepare the crust and set it aside. Chop the vegetables for the stir-fry. Proceed to stir-frying the vegetables and broiling the mahi mahi.

Stir-fry Sauce

1 shallot, minced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced ginger

1 stalk lemongrass, chopped

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 cup sake

1 quart vegetable stock

2 teaspoons yellow miso paste

1 cup rice wine vinegar

1 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon arrowroot dissolved in 2 teaspoons water

1/2 8-ounce jar hoisin sauce

Mango-Miso Sauce

1 shallot, minced

1/4 cup grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup yellow miso paste

2 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup sesame oil

1/2 cup sake

1 quart mango purée

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

Ginger Almond Coconut Crust

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/4 bunch basil leaves, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Stir-fry Vegetables

1/4 head red cabbage, shredded

1/2 head napa cabbage, shredded

1/2 bok choy, thinly sliced on the bias

1 carrot, julienned

1 small daikon, julienned

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the bias

Vegetable oil

1 pound rice noodles, soaked and drained

Mahi Mahi

4 6-ounce pieces mahi mahi

Vegetable oil

For the stir-fry sauce, in a large pan sauté the shallot, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass in the sesame oil until opaque, about 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the sake and reduce by half. Add the stock, miso, and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Add the arrowroot mixture and hoisin sauce. Cook until slightly thickened. Let cool.

For the mango-miso sauce, combine the shallot, ginger, miso, 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, the sake, mango purée, orange juice, and water in a food processor and purée until smooth. Drizzle in the olive oil and the remaining 1/4 cup sesame oil. Refrigerate in a squeeze bottle or container. Set aside.

For the crust, in a mixer using a paddle attachment, combine the butter, almonds, coconut, basil, ginger, and bread crumbs. Leave at room temperature.

For the stir-fry vegetables, in a large pan sauté the red cabbage, napa cabbage, bok choy, carrot, daikon, and celery for 3 minutes in vegetable oil over high heat. Add the stir-fry sauce as the vegetables begin to cook down. Coat the vegetables with the sauce, but do not saturate. Place the vegetables on a serving plate. In the pan used to cook the vegetables, add the rice noodles and toss for 1 minute to warm them. Add the noodles to the plate next to the vegetables.

For the mahi mahi, preheat the oven to 350°. Sear the fish in a sauté pan with vegetable oil. Place the fish on a baking sheet and cook in the oven until just opaque in the center, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven. Turn the oven to broil and pat the prepared crust onto the fish. Broil until the crust is crisp.

To serve, place the fish on top of the stir-fry vegetables, and spoon the mango-miso sauce over the fish.

Makes 4 servings.