Grilled Lemon Butter Mahi Mahi with Seasonal Veggies

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We’ve been helping our aged oven limp along for so long, I forgot how long it’s been since we had a real oven!

Pretty sure the oven was installed when the house was built, so it had been limping along for fifteen years. So when it started to die, I figured it could last just a little bit longer. If nothing else, I could always grill, right?

We kept that sucker limping along for seven months. The top left burner worked and it wouldn’t smoke up the house if I kept the temperature under 400F, but it worked and we just dealt with it for the last seven months.

And we didn’t mind. Mostly because of our big trusty offset-smoker barrel grill. There are no electrical parts to break in there, you can cook as long as there’s enough charcoal or wood to burn, and you can make some really delicious stuff!

Like so.

I think, between living in Hawaii and looking for tastes of home, I’ve had every variation possible on macadamia nut crusted Mahi Mahi.

It’s not a bad dish, but it’s not the only way to cook Mahi Mahi.

Contrary to urban myth, Mahi Mahi is not dolphin – it’s common dolphinfish. And it’s hearty and full of flavor, and if you’re looking for extra lean protein and plenty of vitamins and Omega-3s, it’s an excellent source.

So you have some caloric room to add in a delicious lemon garlic butter sauce. Pair with rice and roasted seasonal vegetables for a light, tangy, delicious dinner!

Bonus pairing – Mahi Mahi goes great with a Sauvignon Blanc or any other dry, herbal white, especially if you add some summer herbs to the dish. With the lemon butter, I like serving it with something heartier, like a late-harvest Riesling or even a Rioja Reserva.

Grilled Lemon Butter Mahi Mahi

Serves 4.

What You’ll Need:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 sweet onion, minced
• juice of 1 lemon {about 2 tbsp}
• 6 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4-6oz Mahi Mahi fillets

How to Make Them:

1. Heat your grill to medium and brush with olive oil to prevent sticking.

2. Drizzle the Mahi Mahi fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to your liking {I tend to go lighter on salt and heavier on pepper}. Set aside.

3. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute 2-3 minutes until the onions are softened. Add the lemon juice and stir. Reduce heat to low and let simmer.

4. Grill the Mahi Mahi 3-4 minutes each side or until the fish flakes easily. Mahi Mahi is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 137F.

5. Serve the Mahi Mahi with a generous pour of lemon butter sauce.

NOTE: I serve mine over rice with roasted seasonal vegetables – my favorite way of making this recipe feel fresh any time of year. Bonus recipe below!

Suggested combinations:

SUMMER: Summer Squash, Bell Peppers, Red Onion, Carrots, Mushrooms

FALL: Sweet Potatoes, Acorn Squash, Carrots, Portobello Mushrooms, Shallots,

WINTER: Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Parsnips, Beets

SPRING: Red Potatoes, Broccoli, Asparagus, Artichoke, Leeks, Carrots

So carrots are pretty much your year-round friend!

You can change up the combinations to your liking, but you’ll just want enough vegetables that, when chopped, cover a sheet pan. I usually grab one of each of the above main vegetables, two carrots, and a handful of the smaller veggies. Here, I’ll share what goes into the summer mix.

Roasted Seasonal Vegetables {Summer}

Serves 4.

What You’ll Need:

• 2 zucchini squash, chopped
• 1 yellow summer squash, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

How to Make Them:

1. Preheat your oven to 400F {that’s the real temperature, not just because that’s all I dared heat my oven to!}. Take care of all your chopping while you wait.

2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Spread your chopped vegetables out until they’re in a single layer.

3. Drizzle the veggies with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can add other seasonal herbs, but I like to let the veggies speak for themselves. Toss gently to coat and then make sure they are spread out and not piled.

4. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss and stir, spread out again, and roast an additional 10 minutes or until the veggies are tender and browned.

5. Toss with the fresh chopped parsley, season with a little more salt and pepper if needed, and serve!

Happy grilling!