15-Minute Meal: Mahimahi with Brown-Sugar Soy Glaze

I had ambitious plans for this mahimahi.  My parents have had a newspaper clipping of a complicated recipe for macadamia-nut-coconut-crusted mahimahi posted on their fridge for two years now.  I ask them about it every time I visit, and they haven't made it yet.  I wanted to give it a try.

Unfortunately, this week has just been one of those weeks.  (You can tell, because it doesn't get more generic than that.)  I had a few deadlines at work, and every single piece of office equipment decided to break down on me this week (unfortunately, that is not hyperbole).  David and I have been in the middle of reorganizing the apartment (more on that later), which is tiring, but also very rewarding.  But I knew that I couldn't let the mahimahi go bad, so I decided to go with a much simpler (but still very tasty) recipe.

David thought the dinner seemed pretty elaborate, but in all honesty, it was super quick and easy.  I served the fish with rice and lightly steamed broccoli, which are two sides that require little preparation or attention.  The sauce is only composed of three things (well, four, but I decided to omit the scallions): brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemon juice.  I was apprehensive about the lemon juice at first, but I really liked it - it gave the glaze a really bright flavor without making it too citrusy.  I forgot to halve the sauce (since the original recipe called for four mahimahi instead of two), but David and I both liked the extra sauce - we swished our rice and broccoli around in it, which made them extra-tasty!

Mahimahi with Brown-Sugar Soy Glaze

Adapted from Gourmet, October 2005

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 6-oz pieces of mahimahi filet

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook fish on 1 side until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn fish over and brown 1 minute.

While the fish is cooking, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, and lemon juice.  Stir until the sugar has dissolved.  Pour over the fish and simmer, covered, until fish is cooked through, about 4 minutes.  Transfer fish with a slotted spatula to a platter.

Boil the sauce, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is very thick and has reduced to less than 1/4 cup.  Spoon glaze over fish.