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Sunday, February 12, 2012

Turbo Cook Sunday: Sicilian Style Mahi Mahi over Couscous

The quality of frozen fish these days is very good.  Being land locked, we don't have many options for fresh fish.  Trout is about the extent of it.  I really like fish, and try to encorporate it into at least one meal a week.  The best thing about fish is that it cooks very quickly, is versatile in the ways you can use it, and if all else fails, you can hack it up when it's still frozen if you forget to get it out to thaw.  (Gee, I wonder who does that? *wink*).
Today is my turbo cook day.  We are getting close to lambing, and I have three babies to take care of every day.  I have to plan ahead to keep from getting behind.  My little kids start coming before seven, and don't go home until 5:30 or 6:00 at night.  I can't spend a large amount of time in the kitchen while they are here, so I turbo cook on the weekends, and then I am free to play, and properly care for them, and still put a nutritious hot meal on the table. 
I have already filled the crockpot with Swedish Stewed Lamb, and made a big batch of rice and black bean enchiladas(I will post recipes later this week), and have leftover rice and beans for a chile relleno casserole on roping night.  Now I can turn my attention to lunch today.  I like to double cook for my daycare.  I make a recipe for eight instead of four, and then I have hot meals for my babies' lunch.  They will love the tangy Sicilian Style Mahi Mahi, and it will only require me to heat up the saucy fish, and boil water to make the Couscous.
This fish would be equally good with pasta, or even served over boiled potatoes mashed with a little butter.  I'm sure if I were true Italian, I would make polenta or something fancy. It has a tomato based sauce with sliced garlic, green olives and capers, sprinkled with fresh parsley.  This recipe makes eight servings, but only uses two portions of frozen fish. It is economical, as well as convenient, because it uses pantry staples like tomatoes, olives and frozen fish.  It is also a one pot meal.  Well, one pot and a bowl to make the couscous in.  Best of all, it takes less than thirty minutes to prepare!

Sicilian Style Mahi Mahi with Couscous

Sicilian Style Mahi Mahi with Couscous
3 T olive oil
twelve cloves of garlic thinly sliced
Three 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 C chopped green olives drained
1/2 8 oz jar capers rinsed and drained
1/3 C chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp black pepper
 Two thawed portions of Mahi Mahi, cut into cubes (you can get away with hacking it up frozen if you forget to thaw)
zest of one lemon divided*
juice of 1/2 lemon
In a large skillet or dutch oven with the heat off, add the oil and thinly sliced garlic and bring the heat up to medium high.  When the garlic starts to get a tiny bit golden, add the tomatoes, capers, olives, parsley and pepper.  On high, bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat to simmer for ten minutes.  Add in fish and cook until fish turns opaque and flakes easily, about ten minutes more.  Just before serving, add the zest and juice of lemon.  If you add it in sooner, it can become bitter.  Serve with extra lemon wedges, and over couscous.
Lemon Couscous:
Put tea kettle on to boil.  In a medium size mixing bowl, put 1 C uncooked couscous, 1/2 zest of one lemon, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash, 1 T butter, and salt and pepper to taste. When the water boils, add 1C boiling water to the couscous, and cover the bowl with a plate or lid.  After a few minutes, take off the plate and fluff couscous with a fork.  Dish into a pasta bowl and top with Mahi Mahi sauce. Makes four servings.

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