Strawberry-Mango Mahi Mahi with Polenta and Lemon Honey Slaw

I love fish and it is a real bonus that it is healthy to eat. Most people shy away from it because they don’t know what to buy and/or don’t know how to prepare it. However, cooking fish is one of the easiest meals that I prepare. Last October, a couple of chefs who own a local fish market taught my neighborhood ladies’ group how to cook fish. For a great how to on cooking fish, check out the blog post I wrote about the event. The blog talks about cooking salmon or tuna, but this method can be applied to any type of fish. My recommendation for a more healthy cooking method is to lightly oil the pan and use a non-stick pan. A note about oil: make sure you are picking the right oil for the job. There are a lot of positives about olive oil, but it is often misused. It is has a low burn point (it starts to burn and smoke at a lower temperature), so it isn’t a great option if you are cooking at high temperatures. Use canola or vegetable oil instead; both have healthy qualities as well and they cook at a higher temperature.

In order to get this meal out hot, prep the salad and fruit first, and then cook the fish and polenta at the same time. The fish and polenta cook pretty quickly and they are best hot out of the pan.  

Lemon Honey Slaw

Dressing:

2 TB light mayo
Juice from one lemon
2 TB honey
½ Tsp salt

Wisk together until combined.

Salad:

½ head of cabbage (either red, green, or a ¼ of each), shredded
1 cup of shredded carrots
½ cup of dried cranberries

Combine vegetables and mix in dressing.

Strawberry-Mango Mahi Mahi

Heat a heavy skillet on medium heat and lightly oil with canola or vegetable oil (about a teaspoon). Lightly salt the raw fish and place it on the hot skillet. As the fish cooks, you will notice the fish turning white; when it is about half way cooked, turn the fish over (about 3-5 minutes). Only turn the fish once to retain moisture in the fish. Cook the other side of the fish until it is cooked through (fish will flake apart with a fork, about 3-5 minutes). Put the cooked fish on a plate and cover with aluminum foil; let the fish rest for a few minutes to retain moisture and then serve.

Garnish with sliced strawberries and chunks of ripe mango.

Polenta

Slice polenta into thin slices, about 1/8^th-1/4 of an inch.  Heat a heavy skillet on high heat and lightly coat with canola or vegetable oil. Lightly salt the polenta and place it on the hot pan. Cook until golden and crispy on one side and then flip to the other side; cook the other side until golden and crispy and then serve.