Pan-Seared Mahi Mahi with Lemon-Caper Butter and Green Beans

Mahi mahi is the fish I grab when I want a weeknight plate that is done before the rice cooker would have finished, except there is no rice here. A hard sear, a spoon of lemon-caper butter in the same pan, and green beans on the side. Bright, salty, and no sugar in the sauce.

I'm Mark. Two jobs here: dry the fish, and do not walk away from the pan.

Yield: 2 servings | Prep: 10 min | Cook: example 12-15 minutes

Hawaii grocery notes

• Foodland / Times fish counter: ask for mahi mahi. Two skinless fillets about 1 inch thick cook the most evenly. If there is no mahi that day, ask the counter what firm, mild white fish they have.
• Produce: green beans, a lemon, garlic. All at Foodland and Times.
• Butter and capers: unsalted butter and a small jar of capers in brine. Read the caper label if it is flavored or sweetened; plain brine is what you want. Skip any "lemon butter" tub with a long ingredient list.
• No sugar, honey, mirin or sweet glaze in this one.

Ingredients (2 servings)

For the fish:

• 2 mahi mahi fillets, about 6 oz each and about 1 inch thick, patted very dry
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral high-heat oil (avocado oil works)

For the lemon-caper butter:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp drained capers
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

For the green beans:

• About 12 oz green beans, trimmed
• 1 tsp neutral oil
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Dry and season the fish. Pat the mahi very dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Start the green beans. Heat a second skillet or the same large pan you will use later over medium. Add the 1 tsp oil and the green beans with a pinch of salt. Example time: 6-8 minutes, stirring now and then, until bright and just tender. Move to a plate and keep warm, or finish them while the fish rests.
3. Sear the mahi. Heat a skillet (cast iron if you have it) over medium-high until hot. Add the 1 tbsp oil, then lay the fillets in away from you. Do not move them. Example time: 3-4 minutes, until the bottom is golden and releases easily.
4. Flip and finish. Turn the fillets and cook the second side. Example time: 2-4 minutes, depending on thickness. Mahi is done when the center is just opaque and flakes when you press it with a fork. Move to plates.
5. Make the lemon-caper butter. Drop the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the same pan. When it melts, add the garlic for about 20-30 seconds. Stir in the capers, lemon juice and zest if using. Taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Spoon over the fish.
6. Serve. Put the green beans next to the mahi and pour any leftover butter from the pan over the top.

Notes

• The pan has to be hot before the fish goes in. A cold pan is how the fish sticks.
• Mahi goes from juicy to dry if you leave it too long. Pull it as soon as the center turns opaque.
• Capers are salty. Taste the butter before you add more salt.
• Prefer ahi seared rare with a ginger-garlic butter? That one is here: pan-seared ahi with ginger-garlic butter.
• Prefer ono with ginger-scallion oil? That one is here: seared ono with ginger-scallion oil and baby bok choy.

Mark Souza
Honolulu

• More seared fish: pan-seared ahi with ginger-garlic butter, garlic shoyu seared ahi, seared ono with ginger-scallion oil.
• More butter sauce fish: miso butter salmon with asparagus.