Special Recipes
By Carole Kotkin

Coconut Mahi Mahi with Passion Fruit Sauce
adapted from a recipe in Mmmmiami - Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere
By Carole Kotkin & Kathy Martin

The coconut au natural called for in this recipe possesses a rich, subtle sweetness that is much more complex than the heavily sweetened coconut flakes used on cakes. Unsweetened coconut is available in Caribbean groceries, health food stores and specialty markets. If you're ambitious, you can buy a fresh coconut and grate your own.

Fish alternatives: snapper, pompano or any firm, white-fleshed fish.


1 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt plus more for the fish
4 6-ounce mahi mahi fillets, about 1/2-inch thick
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the passion fruit sauce:

Look for passion fruit purée in the freezer case of supermarkets with an Hispanic clientele. If you can't find it, substitute un-reconstituted pineapple juice concentrate.

1/2 cup dry white wine
2 shallots, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup passion fruit purée
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bring the wine, shallots, lime juice and passion fruit purée to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan and let it cook down until it's reduced to 1/3 cup, about 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the butter until it's melted and the sauce is slightly thickened. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Put the coconut, flour, milk and eggs in separate, shallow dishes. Beat the eggs well with 1 teaspoon salt, which breaks up the whites and makes for a more even coating. Set a wire rack over a cookie sheet. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper. Dip them one at a time in the milk, the flour, the egg mixture and then the coconut, coating them well on both sides. Set the fillets on the rack, and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to help the coating adhere. (Note: Fish can be coated, covered and refrigerated for up to 3 or 4 hours before cooking.)

Heat the oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the fillets, turning once, until the coconut is golden brown and the fish is opaque throughout, about 8 minutes.

Transfer the fish to dinner plates, drizzle with passion fruit sauce, and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Pair with an unctuous Viognier




Article first published in The Wine News

 

Food Editor Carole Kotkin is a Miami-based cooking instructor and consultant who co-authored Mmmmiami - Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere. It provides clear, simple directions for 150 dishes, from the simple (good old Key Lime Pie) to the sublime (Coconut Mahi-Mahi with Passion Fruit Sauce). The wide array of flavors is especially wonderful and startling to those used to monocultural cooking; Miami cuisine is the product of many generations of interbreeding and hybrid vigor. Click on the link below for more details or to order.

Mmmmiami : Tempting Tropical Tastes for Cooks Everywhere

See Also

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American diners have discovered one of Europe's most civilized culinary traditions
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Sydney's Cosmopolitan Cuisine
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Eat Your Vegetables!
Pairing Wine with Plant-Based Cuisine
By Carole Kotkin & Fred Tasker

 

All articles courtesy of The Wine News