Mahi Mahi & Veggie Skillet — When Simple Is Enough and Enough Is Everything

Week 467. Year 9. Tommy is 42. A quiet spring week. Work, school, dinner. The ordinary machinery of a family that has been running for 9 years of documented life and longer before that. The food was simple — grilled redfish — and the simple was enough and the enough was everything.

Made grilled redfish this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. C'est bon, cher.

Grilled redfish was the heart of the week, but the Mahi Mahi & Veggie Skillet is the recipe I keep coming back to when I want that same feeling — something from the sea, something honest, something that goes from pan to table before the evening gets away from me. Week 467 asked for nothing complicated, and this skillet answers that call every time: fresh fish, good vegetables, one pan, done. That’s the whole philosophy right there.

Mahi Mahi & Veggie Skillet

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 mahi mahi fillets (about 6 oz each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Season the fish. Pat the mahi mahi fillets dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning evenly over both sides of each fillet.
2. Sear the fish. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fillets and cook for 4—5 minutes per side, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. Cook the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the zucchini and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5—6 minutes until just tender.
4. Add garlic and tomatoes. Stir in the minced garlic and cherry tomatoes. Cook for 2—3 minutes more until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices.
5. Finish and serve. Return the mahi mahi to the skillet and nestle the fillets among the vegetables. Drizzle with lemon juice, scatter parsley over the top, and serve directly from the pan.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 280 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 420mg