Mahi-mahi is a great fish and extremely versatile. The mild-tasting flaky white flesh has a wonderful texture and really brings us back to the Caribbean when we eat it. This Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Pineapple Beer Butter Sauce will make you feel like you are on vacation!

Mahi-Mahi

Mahi-Mahi needs to be fresh if you buy it from a fishmonger or in the seafood section of a store, so be sure to ask questions and smell the fish. It should smell like the sea, not fishy! If you see frozen mahi-mahi, this is also a great option as it does freeze very well. Generally we will opt for frozen if we can't find a good quality fresh mahi-mahi.

Cooking the Fish

Because we have a fairly delicate dish, we need to use cookware and cooking techniques that are appropriate for a dish like this. We turn to our Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Cookware with new MineralShield™ nonstick technology. The only place you want the coconut crust to stick is the mahi-mahi itself, so using high-quality nonstick cookware is a must. Additionally, it is tough enough to withstand metal utensils, like a fish spatula, without scratching.

The fish is first browned on the stove and then the entire pan is transferred to a 425°F oven. So you want to also make sure you use a pan that is oven safe to effectively make this recipe. This Calphalon cookware set is also oven safe up to 450°F degrees making it perfect to use for this mahi-mahi recipe.

If you are in the market for a new set of nonstick cookware, we highly recommend Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Cookware with new MineralShield™ nonstick technology.

Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi in nonstick skillet — We use a nonstick skillet that is oven safe up to 450°F to cook the Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi

Island Inspiration

The inspiration behind this dish was from our recent trip to the Caribbean island of Anguilla. While there, we ate a lot of fresh from the ocean mahi-mahi, and pulled a lot of inspiration from the seasonings, spices, and sides that are typically served on this beautiful island.

For example, we served this dish alongside two very common Anguillan sides: Pigeon Peas and Rice and fried plantains. The whole dish comes together as a tribute to the flavors of the islands and what we loved most about the food we enjoyed there.

Island Flavors

Salt, white pepper, and coriander are the only seasonings you’ll need here, and these really works well with mahi-mahi fish. The coconut provides a great flavor, and the Panko gives the crunchy exterior.

And who doesn’t think of pineapple when coconut is involved? When prepared this way, they pair so well without being “sweet.” This is a savory dish, and the inherent sweetness of coconut and pineapple are just enough to bring balance without overwhelming the mahi-mahi.

Pineapple Beer Butter Sauce

The Pineapple Beer Butter Sauce is essentially a modified beurre blanc and extremely easy to make, although there are a few common errors people make that can ruin the sauce.

The most common mistake people make is adding the butter too quickly, which will retard the emulsification.

The second common mistake is to become impatient and turn the heat up to add the butter. The sauce will break into an oily mess, and it takes work to repair it. If you are the thermometer-type, just know that temps over 135°F will break a butter sauce like this, so chill on the heat – literally.

Enjoy!

We hope you enjoy this recipe for Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Pineapple Beer Butter Sauce! If you give it a try, leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram @cooking_with_wine!

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Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Pineapple Beer Butter Sauce

Course: DinnerCuisine: Caribbean-InspiredDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Total time

minutes

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Ingredients

For the Fish
4 4 6-oz mahi-mahi fillets (skin off)
3 teaspoon 3 kosher salt
2 teaspoon 2 white pepper
2 teaspoon 2 ground coriander
⅔ cup ⅔ all purpose flour
2 2 eggs plus 2 tablespoon cold water
⅔ cup ⅔ toasted shredded coconut (unsweetened)
⅓ cup ⅓ panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoon 3 unsalted butter
For the Sauce
4 oz 4 Mexican beer
4 oz 4 Pineapple juice
1 teaspoon 1 kosher salt
8 tablespoon 8 cold butter
Garnish
Fresh cilantro leaves or cilantro microgreens

Directions

Prepare the Fish
Thoroughly dry the fish fillets. Coat with the salt, pepper, and ground coriander and place on a rack over a sheet pan and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 425°F
Set up a breading station with flour in one bowl. Combine the eggs and water and beat until thoroughly combined in another bowl. Finally combine the coconut and breadcrumbs on a large plate or sheet tray. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and coat the fillets in flour. Then coat the fish in the egg wash and finally coat in the coconut mixture. Gently press the coconut and breadcrumbs into the fish to make it adhere better.
In a large nonstick, oven-safe skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Cook the mahi-mahi fillets for about 2 or 2 ½ minutes per side. You want the coating to darken, but not to burn. Remove from the heat and put the entire pan in the oven for about 10 minutes. You can test for doneness by pulling a fillet with two forks – it should flake easily, which means it is done.
Prepare the Sauce
In a saucepan, combine the beer and pineapple juice and reduce over medium heat until there is about 2 tablespoon of liquid remaining. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter at a time. If the mixture gets too cold to melt the butter, return to a low heat to warm it up but do not let the sauce boil. Once all the butter is incorporated, add the salt and taste – you can add more if necessary.
Serve the fish with a drizzle of the sauce at the table and fresh cilantro or cilantro microgreens.