Mahimahi recipe

Menus have come a long way since "Continental Cuisine" dominated the hotel restaurant landscape. This is evident in the dishes that are being served today in the Ship's Tavern restaurant at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel. Here's an example from chef Ralf Bauer.

The dish, Nori Wrapped Mahimahi with Wasabi Cream Sauce and Asian Slaw, is composed of three distinct recipes, each of which could be used alone or with other dishes. There's an East-West treatment for mahimahi, a vegetable garnish that could be served as a salad, and a modern-day version of a beurre blanc spiced with wasabi.

Nori Wrapped Mahimahi

• 4 mahimahi fillets, 3 by 5 inches each
• 2 sheets nori, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons shoyu
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
• Flour for dusting
• Tempura batter, commercial ready-to-make box
• Oil for deep frying

In a bowl, mix the shoyu, sugar and sweet chili sauce. Marinate the mahimahi in this mixture in the refrigerator for about half an hour. Place 1 inch of oil in a saute pan, or heat oil in a deep fryer. Remove the mahimahi and wrap in nori (dampen the edge just a little with a pastry brush to seal the nori around the fish). Dust the nori-wrapped mahimahi with flour and then carefully dip into tempura batter that has been prepared to box directions. When the oil is hot enough (test by dropping a little batter into it), deep-fry the wrapped mahimahi until golden brown and crisp. Drain on at paper towel and keep warm.

Asian Slaw

• 2 tablespoons shoyu
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• Pinch of ginger and garlic, minced
• Pinch of toasted sesame seeds

Use 11/2 cups equal parts mixed vegetables, julienned (use red and green bell peppers, carrots, won bok, snow peas, bean sprouts).

In a bowl, mix the shoyu, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic to make the dressing. Toss the julienned vegetables.

Wasabi Cream Sauce

• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, well chilled
• Wasabi paste to taste

In a small, heavy saucepan, place the white wine, vinegar, shallot, salt and pepper. Over medium high heat, reduce to 1 or 2 tablespoons. There will be just a mushy glaze on the bottom of the pan. While the sauce is reducing, cut the butter into small pats; keep cold. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly whisk in 2 pats of butter, one at a time, until creamy.

Now, over low heat, beat in the rest of the butter, one pat at a time, to make a sauce the consistency of heavy cream. If the sauce is getting too hot, lift it off the burner; take care or it will separate. When you have incorporated all the butter, mix in as much wasabi paste as you like. Use immediately over the fish.

Assemble the whole dish: Place the Asian Slaw to one side of the plate (it is placed in a fried won ton basket at the hotel). Arrange the mahimahi, criss-cross in the middle of the plate. Drizzle with the Wasabi Cream Sauce. You can garnish with black goma (sesame seeds) and opal basil, if you have them. Makes 2 servings.