Pesto Crusted Mahi-Mahi with Blistered Tomatoes and Lemon Butter Sauce
Recipe GLPRe3435970b8864c
Pan-seared mahi-mahi fillets coated in a golden pesto and breadcrumb crust, served over a silky lemon butter sauce with charred cherry tomatoes. This elegant fish dish combines fresh basil flavors, bright citrus notes, and rich butter for a restaurant-quality meal that comes together in about 35 minutes.
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Ingredients
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
4 six-ounce mahi-mahi fillets
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (for tomatoes)
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
2 teaspoons minced shallot
6 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, sliced into pats
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, combine the basil pesto with the Panko breadcrumbs, stirring until the mixture forms a coarse, crumbly paste. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Arrange the four mahi-mahi fillets on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season each fillet lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.
Divide the pesto-breadcrumb mixture evenly among the four fillets, spreading it across the top of each one. Use your fingers to gently press the coating down, forming an even, adherent crust over the entire surface of each fillet.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated 375°F oven. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 145°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part. While the fish bakes, prepare the blistered tomatoes.
Heat the 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, carefully add the cherry tomatoes and the whole garlic clove. Allow them to cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes—the tomatoes will pop and blister. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the tomatoes to turn them over and expose the opposite sides. Continue cooking without stirring for another 2 to 3 minutes until the tomatoes are softened with charred, blistered skin on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In a separate medium skillet over medium heat, warm a small amount of olive oil (about 1 teaspoon). Once shimmering, add the minced shallot and sauté for about 1 minute until it softens and becomes fragrant.
Remove the skillet from heat. Whisk in the 6 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, the lemon zest, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Let the sauce cool for 2 to 3 minutes until it stops simmering but remains warm to the touch.
Over very low heat (or off the heat for best control), whisk in the cold butter one pat at a time, ensuring each pat melts completely into the sauce with constant whisking before adding the next. Continue until all butter is fully incorporated, creating a silky, emulsified sauce. If at any point the sauce breaks, use an immersion blender to bring it back together.
To serve, spoon a small pool of lemon butter sauce onto the center of each plate. Place a pesto-crusted mahi-mahi fillet on top of the sauce and crown with a portion of the blistered tomatoes.
Garnish each plate with a fresh lemon wedge and serve immediately while the fish and sauce are still warm.
