Recipe Swap: Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa

I was excited to see a seafood recipe swap on the cooking message board on which I post. I've only relatively recently (about six years ago) begun to eat seafood, and I tend to stick to what I know I like (shrimp scampi, lemon dill salmon). So I was hoping this swap would expose me to new flavors. It did not disappoint!

The recipe that was sent to me was Blackened Mahi Mahi filets with Pineapple Salsa, from Lindsay's blog Peace, Love and French Fries. I'll be honest, it's probably not something I'd ever order from a restaurant menu. Up until recently, when I saw "blackened" meat on a menu, I thought they literally burnt the meat. Hey, I know people who like their meat that way!

I made some adaptations to the recipe. Obviously, I substituted mango for pineapple in my salsa. I also used frozen chunks of mahi mahi in my freezer that I happened to have from Trader Joe's, rather than filets, and I sautéed them in a pan on my stovetop, rather than grilling them. 

The end result was incredibly tasty! A bit spicier than I thought it would be. I wish I had the read the recipe in its entirety rather than just the ingredient list (you'd think I'd have learned that lesson by now), and allowed more time for the salsa to chill in the refrigerator. However, the recipe made more than the two of us could finish, so we have leftovers! 

First, the blackening seasoning recipe. This makes A LOT. If you're not sure you'll use it much, cut the recipe in half. 

Blackening Seasoning
From About.com

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ¾ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

Mango Salsa
Adapted from Peace, Love and French Fries

Ingredients

• ¼ red onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped ripe mango (about 1.5 medium-sized mangos)
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (about half a pint)
• 2 to 3 tablespoon lime juice
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Chop the onion, and place it in a bowl of cold water while you prep the remaining ingredients.
2. Drain the onion, combine in a bowl with remaining ingredients, and toss.
3. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least one hour.

Blackened Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa
From Peace, Love and French Fries

Ingredients

• 1 lb mahi mahi filets, or chunks
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoon blackening seasoning
• Mango salsa

Directions

1. Drizzle olive oil over fillets or fish chunks. Rub blackening seasoning into fillets, or toss chunks with seasoning.
2. Saute in a pan on medium-high heat until opaque.
3. I recommend serving over brown rice, topped with salsa, and a vegetable of your choice.