Toasted Macadamia Crusted Mahi with Kahlua, Lime, and Ginger Buerre Blanc
This is one of my signature dishes, but I've never finalized the recipe. It seems that every time I make this dish, something changes. I've tried it with more Kahlua, less Kahlua, cooked shallot, raw shallot, garlic, no garlic. It's a dish that haunts me to no end. The flavors are subtle and have always made me smile after the first bite. They've made others say, "wow" and go back for a second taste. But I have yet to take a bite, stand up, and yell - "Eureka!" Consider this a work in progress. A delicious, but unfinished nonetheless, work in progress.
This is one of my signature dishes, but I've never finalized the recipe. It seems that every time I make this dish, something changes. I've tried it with more Kahlua, less Kahlua, cooked shallot, raw shallot, garlic, no garlic. It's a dish that haunts me to no end. The flavors are subtle and have always made me smile after the first bite. They've made others say, "wow" and go back for a second taste. But I have yet to take a bite, stand up, and yell - "Eureka!" Consider this a work in progress. A delicious, but unfinished nonetheless, work in progress.
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 eggs
- salt & pepper to taste
- 8 oz. mahi mahi steaks
- 0.25 lb. macadamia nuts
- 0.25 lb. panko (japanese bread crumbs)
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 oz. cilantro
- 0.5 cup shallot minced
- 0.5 cup kahlua
- 1 tbsp ginger minced, pickled
- 0.25 cup lime juice freshly squeezed (2 limes)
- 0.25 lb. butter cubed
- Carbohydrate 101.39666 g
- Cholesterol 4595.75 mg
- Fat 236.0616 g
- Fiber 8.86310009850562 g
- Protein 163.63989 g
- Saturated Fat 95.000636 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1555g)
- Sodium 2948.17 mg
- Sugar 92.5335599014944 g
- Trans Fat 24.7379095 g
- Calories 3231 calories
Step-by-step
- First you'll pulse your macadamias in a food processor until they're fairly coarse.
- Once that's done, simply place them on a sheet tray and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
- Shake them every 3 minutes or so, not only to evenly toast the nuts, but also to keep an eye on them so they don't burn.
- Once they become aromatic, they're ready.
- In a bowl, you'll combine your panko, paprika, macadamia nuts, cilantro, salt and pepper and toss.
- Whisk your eggs in a bowl to create an egg wash.
- Season your Mahi Mahi with salt and pepper.
- Dampen each side of the fish in the egg wash and dredge it through your panko mixture.
- In a saute pan with olive oil, over medium heat, you'll want to sear the fish on each side for about 2-3 minutes, until it's golden brown.
- Transfer the fish to a sheet tray and finish in a 350 degree oven.
- While the Mahi Mahi is in the oven, you'll want to make your sauce.
- This sauce is a loose interpretation of a Beurre Blanc because we're replacing one acid component (wine and vinegar) with another (lime juice and Kahlua).
- Start by sweating your shallots.
- Deglaze your pan with lime juice and Kahlua and reduce.
- Add your heavy cream and reduce by half.
- Then, remove from heat and slowly, in small batches, whisk in your butter.
- I like to strain my sauce to remove all the bits of minced ginger and shallot.
- I think a nice smooth sauce goes well with the coarse crunch of our macadamia crust.
- To serve, simply drizzle your sauce over the fish and maybe add a light dusting of sesame seeds.
A crust of toasted macadamia nuts and panko yields a deeply savory crunch that contrasts sharply with the flaky, mild texture of mahi mahi. When scaling this preparation for a larger dinner party, doubling the fish requires careful attention to pan capacity so the fillets crowd neither one another nor the oil temperature. Overloading the sauté pan drops the oil heat instantly, replacing a crisp sear with an unwanted steam.
The beurre blanc relies on a delicate balance of heavy cream, lime juice, and Kahlua reduced by half before cold butter emulsifies into the pan off the heat. Maintaining a low temperature while whisking the butter cubes ensures the sauce thickens without breaking into an oily separation. Strain the reduction through a fine-mesh sieve if a completely smooth mouthfeel is desired over the rustic texture of minced shallot and pickled ginger.
Adjusting the proportion of Kahlua relative to fresh lime juice alters the sweetness profile of the finished sauce significantly. Home cooks can substitute dry white wine for the coffee liqueur entirely should a more traditional acid profile be preferred.
