Mahi-mahi with Pineapple Chutney and Turnip-Parsnip Gratin

Mmmmmmmmm...... I love pineapple. I really, really do. The sweetness combined with a bit of citrus and the general juiciness of the fruit is just unbeatable. And did you know it packs a giant wallop of Vitamin C as well as a decent dose of fiber. Now, unfortunately, it's also a fruit high in sugar so you probably don't want to eat a half dozen pineapples a day, but served as a chutney over fish is great for you.

The pineapple works especially well with the Mahi in this recipe. Mahi is a tougher, firmer fish with a relatively mild taste. The pineapple melds perfectly, providing a sweetness and lightness that perfectly balances the meal. In this meal I served the fish with Cajun Fingerling Potatoes and a Turnip-Parsnip Gratin. Turnips? Parsnips? I promise you - as someone who wasn't sure I really wanted to eat either of those I truly enjoyed this meal. And my boyfriend, not known for his love of vegetables, liked it so much he ate all of the leftovers when I wasn't even home the next day. Remember, whenever you serve something with melted Brie it is bound to taste delicious.

Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

Turnip-Parsnip Gratin
Time: 45 minutes
Let's get started with the vegetables since they'll take a little bit longer to cook. But remember, this meal is actually quite delicious and neither turnips nor parsnips turn out to be nearly as scary as I had guessed!

 

Ingredients:
3 cups sliced peeled turnip
3 cups sliced peeled parsnip
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup fat free chicken or vegetable broth
1.5 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup shredded Brie cheese
1 tbsp fake butter
1/3 cup panko
(this recipe is based upon one from Cooking Light)

It can actually take a decent amount of time to wash, peel, and slice your turnips and parsnips so I would start with that right away. If you can convince a friend or a significant other to be your sous chef this is the time to rope them into the cooking process! When you're done with the cutting preheat your oven to 400.

Put the turnips and parsnips in a large pan and add 5-6 cups of water or enough to fully cover and float them a bit. Bring the vegetable mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Your vegetables should be crisp-tender at this point. Drain them. Grease a glass baking dish and layer your vegetables in the dish. Set it aside for later.

Combine the milk, broth, flour, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. Whisk constantly and cook for 3-5 minutes. (This is an excellent job for your sous chef again.) Add the grated cheese and whisk just until it is melted. Remove immediately from heat as the cheese melts.

Pour the cheese mixture over your vegetables, making sure it slips down into the cracks and nicely coats the turnips and parsnips, not just hovering on top.

Heat your fake butter in a small pan over medium high heat. When it is melted add your panko and stir constantly while cooking for 2-3 minutes. This will toast the panko and make it extra crispy. Sprinkle the panko evenly over the top of your gratin.

Put the dish in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. It should be bubbly and golden brown when coming out of the oven. Enjoy while hot!

Mahi-mahi with Pineapple Chutney
Time: 25 minutes
Are you ready for the main course? This is simple to make and absolutely delicious. You can whip this together without a lot of preparation. And the best part? You can always sample the rum used in the recipe to make sure it's still fresh as you cook!

Ingredients:
1.5 tsp vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups red onion, diced
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup gold rum
3 cups fresh pineapple, chopped into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp lime juice
1.5 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb Mahi-mahi
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt (or no msg fake salt)
(this recipe is based upon one from Cooking Light)

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Stir regularly to keep from burning and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the onion starts to wilt. Add the rum and cook for 30 seconds, stirring the entire time. Then add the pineapple, brown sugar, and lime juice. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should thicken during this time. When the fifteen minutes are up remove from the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro.

Once you get your chutney boiling you can turn your attention to the fish itself. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of vegetable oil (yes, I usually use olive oil but you want to match the chutney in this case) and then when it gets hot add the fish. Sprinkle the top side of the fish with 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook 2 minutes. Flip the fish and sprinkle the remaining two 1/4 teaspoons on this side. Cook for about 5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 5 minutes or until your fish is done. When the fish has about 1 minute of cooking time left pour the chutney over the fish in the grill pan. Let it cook for the remaining minute and serve immediately.