Finally, the wait is over. The Pelagic species are back! If you don’t have a freezer full of Mahi a local seafood purveyor should have it.
There is nothing better than eating fresh local Mahi. This month I am going to prepare Blackened Mahi Tacos with fresh avocado, lime coleslaw, and a tropical salsa.
The first thing is to gather the ingredients. You will need to get your Mahi, 1 head of green cabbage, 2 avocados, 5 limes, 1 mango, 1 papaya, 1 red bell pepper, 1 orange, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 bunch mint, 1 bunch scallions, 1 jar of Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic, and a pack of tortillas.
Once everything is gathered it’s time to start on the tropical salsa. Get your mango, papaya, red bell pepper, orange, scallions, cilantro, 1 lime, and mint. Peel your mango and then cut around the seed and dice it small.
Get the bell pepper and remove the seeds and ribs on the inside and dice small.
Next the papaya, cut around the outside until the ruby flesh is exposed. Then cut it in half and scoop out all the seeds and dice small. Then slice 3 whole scallions, chop 1 sprig of mint and a quarter bunch of cilantro. Add the juice of one orange and a lime.
Season with salt and pepper and mix well in a bowl. The next step is to get the slaw ready. In a bowl add 1 small head of green cabbage shaved thin, add the juice of 3 limes, and season with salt and pepper.
Once the salsa and the slaw are ready its time to prepare the Mahi. To achieve true blackened fish you might want to do it outside on your grill in a cast iron pan.
If you do it inside it could smoke the place out and set off your fire alarm. Get your boneless and skinless fillet and lightly coat in oil and then coat in blackening seasoning.
If the fillet is thick coat it on both sides. Now you can do it two ways from here. You can blacken grill it or you can blacken it in a pan on the grill. Either way is fine.
If done in a pan heat the pan and then add canola oil until it ripples. Add fish until a nice sear is achieved and flip over. Mahi cooks very quickly so don’t overcook it.
Cooking times all depends on the thickness of the fillets. Just cook until opaque. Mahi will continue to cook off the heat.
Once it is cooked its time to assemble the tacos. Heat a few tortillas (corn or flour) in the microwave or your oven. Assemble the taco with a few slices of fresh avocado followed by the slaw, fish, and then salsa.
Garnish with a few cilantro leaves and a lime wedge. Feel free to add or take away ingredients. Full recipe is below.
– Chef Kyle Kryske is a native of Pascagoula, MS. He has resided in Charleston for 15 years & has been cooking in restaurants for 18 years. He has worked in MS, AK, NC, and SC. and is Chef de Cuisine at Coast Restaurant in Charleston. Kyle is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. When he is not working he is either inshore
Blackened Mahi Tacos
Ingredients for Salsa:
1 mango- small dice, seed removed
1 papaya- small dice, seeds removed
1 red bell pepper- small dice, seeds removed
¼ bunch cilantro- chopped
1 sprig mint- chopped
1 small bunch scallions- sliced
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
S & P
Ingredients for Slaw:
1 small head green cabbage- shaved thin
Juice of 3 limes
S & P
Ingredients for Mahi:
Fresh Mahi or Frozen
1 Jar Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic
Vegetable Oil
Method of Preparation for Salsa:
1. Get your mango and papaya and peel them both. For the mango cut around the seed after its peeled and small dice. For the papaya peel it until you see the ruby flesh. Cut it in half and scoop out all the seeds and then small dice. For the pepper cut off the top and pull the whole seed center out. Cut the inner membrane out and small dice.
2. Chop the herbs and slice the scallions.
3. Juice the citrus and add to the other ingredients
4. Season with S & P
Method of Preparation for the Slaw:
1. Shave cabbage thin
2. Add juice of the the limes to it with S & P and reserve
Method of Preparation for the Mahi:
1. Get your boneless and skinless fillet and coat in oil and then one whole side in the blackened seasoning. Do both sides if you like.
2. Get a cast iron pan or pan of your liking and put it on the grill. Add oil until you see the oil slightly ripple
3. Add the mahi carefully and cook for about 3-5 minutes on one side and flip over. If the fillet is thin it will not take very long. If it is thick it will take longer to cook. Mahi will continue to cook off the heat so don’t overcook it. Cook it until it is opaque in the center.
Method of Preparation for the Taco’s:
1. Heat your tortillas up
2. Put down the lime slaw
3. Add the mahi and salsa
4. Add fresh avocado
5. Serve with a lime wedge and enjoy
