Mahimahi with Tahitian Vanilla and Mango Sauce

For Christmas I received Giada's new cookbook, Feel Good Food. I HIGHLY recommend it. Her recipes are simple to make and make your tastebuds dance the cha-cha. This one you can thank me for later.

Mahimahi with Tahitian Vanilla and Mango Sauce

serves 4

Sauce:

1 medium mango, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 Tahitian Vanilla Bean (available at Williams Sonoma, Wegmans)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Fish:

1 tablespoon EVOO

4 (4 ounce) filets of skinless mahimahi 1 inch thick, can be substituted for halibut

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, combine the mango, orange juice, 1/4 cup water, ginger, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth (REALLY smooth, no lumps) and pour into a small saucepan. Using a pairing knife, cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the saucepan. Add the empty vanilla pod halves, too. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod halves and discard. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth.

In a 12-inch, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish on both sides with the salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes on each side.

Arrange the fish on plates and spoon the sauce on top. Serve with quinoa and steamed veggies.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I'm not a big tomato soup person, so the thought of making a grilled cheese to dunk into tomato soup just doesn't appeal to me. I love spicy food, my husband does not. You can modify this recipe to be as spicy as you'd like, or not. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich

serves 4

1 can of cooked chicken breast (although I prefer to use fresh, but if you're in a time crunch, you gotta do what you gotta do)

3 tbsp blue cheese dressing

1/4 cup hot sauce

shredded mozzarella cheese

8 thin slices of sourdough bread

2 tbsp butter

In a skillet, preferably cast iron, melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Let the pan get reallllly hot and the butter will start to bubble. Put one slice of bread into pan. It will soak up the buttery goodness and begin to brown. 

In the meantime, shred the chicken in a small saucepan with a fork. Add the blue cheese and hot sauce. Heat until bubbling.

On top of that slice of bread in the pan, smear the buffalo chicken mix and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Top with another slice of bread, flip to brown the other side. 

For every 2 sandwiches you make, use 1 tbsp of butter. Be sure to melt the butter in the pan, first, before adding the bread. It will make for a nice, golden brown, crunchy sandwich. 

Enjoy!