Misoyaki Mahi-mahi

As Billingsgate Seafood Market (http://www.billingsgate.com/) was celebrating their 100 year anniversary this week, I stopped by on Saturday morning to check it out for the first time. I didn't try any of the tastings they were offering, but Court went by after lunch and said their Lobster Bisque was fantastic. I'll probably go more often now that I know they carry some of the harder to find things I've been looking for, like salmon roe and sashimi-grade fish (for those days when I don't want to make the trek to T&T). The prices were reasonable too; the mahi-mahi fillets were around $5 for 2 fillets.

This dish sounds - and tastes - a lot more complicated than it is. I make this quite often as it only requires 3 ingredients and works with any white fish as well as chicken and pork, and it doesn't hurt that it's super quick as well.

Misoyaki Mahi-mahi:
2 x 110-140g/4-5oz mahi-mahi fillets
1/4 cup mirin (or 1/4 cup sake + 1/2 - 1 tsp brown or white sugar)
1/4 cup white (light) miso

For the marinade, mix the mirin and miso until combined. If you're using sake + sugar instead of mirin, make sure to dissolve the sugar in the sake first before combining the miso so that the texture of the marinade stays smooth. Cover the fillets with the marinade and cover with cling film or put in a sealed bag for a few hours (or overnight)... or if you're like me, 30 minutes - because I usually decide to make this when I'm already hungry! While it marinades, start on the salad.

Preheat your broiler and wipe the marinade off the fillets. Put the fillets in the oven and watch them - it usually takes around 5 minutes each side. Today I've made this in the oven, but for chicken and pork I usually cut the meat stir-fry-style and use the stovetop to fry over medium-high heat until just cooked.

Sesame-Orange Spinach Salad:
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/2-1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp mirin or sake
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
1/2-1 tsp soy
1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
sesame seeds to garnish
spinach
fresh or tinned mandarin orange segments, about 3/4 cup or 1-2 oranges

With a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind the sesame seeds and sugar together to make a paste. Add the mirin, vinegar, soy, and 4 mandarin orange segments and grind together, adding sesame oil if desired. If you're using fresh rather than tinned oranges, remember to remove the skin on each segment. Dress the spinach and add the remaining mandarin orange segments to the salad; garnish with sesame seeds.