Sicilian Baked Mahi Mahi

Home again. The weather is mild and breezy. I have Italian on the mind again. Will it ever stop? I simply love the uncomplicated, flavorful ingredients and diversity of regional cuisines.

I keep mahi mahi in the freezer. Costco sells wild caught, Pacific mahi in individually packaged frozen filets. Although I would choose fresh fish over frozen any day, depending on your seafood market your fish may have been previously frozen for transport anyways. They just deliver you the convenience of defrosting it. If that is the case, I would much rather buy my fish frozen and defrost it on my own time.

This dish is packed with salty flavors and the firmness of the fish holds its own against all of the textures involved in the topping. Served with a simple mushroom risotto and sauteed spinach, this recipe can be quickly made and will impress the most distinguished palates. For our wine I poured a wonderfully light and crisp Gavi. Cristina Ascheri 2009; it is 100% Cortese grape from the Piedmont region of Italy. After last night's meal, it's up there on my list as one of my new favorite whites.

Sicilian Baked Mahi Mahi

Serves 2-4

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil

2 to 4 mahi mahi filets

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1 tbsp capers

1/2 tsp finely chopped anchovies in olive oil (optional)

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 tbsp bread crumbs

Mix half the olive oil with the lemon juice and 1 tbsp of the basil in a shallow baking dish. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the mahi mahi in the dish and leave to marinate for 15 minutes, turning once. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine the olives, capers, anchovies and tomatoes with the

remaining oil and basil and season well. Spread over the mahi mahi and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish is just opaque. Finish off by placing briefly under the hot broiler until the breadcrumbs are crisp.

Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 oz mushrooms, chopped

1 cup aborio rice

3 cups chicken broth

Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Add onion and saute on medium heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and sautee for another 5 minutes until garlic is fragrant and mushrooms are soft. Add the rice, stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, one cup at a time, letting the broth absorb completely after each addition.

Simple Sauteed Spinach

Serves 2

2 tbsp olive oil

9 oz baby leaf spinach

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup plain yogurt

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the spinach, working in batches so you don't crowd the pan. Add the yogurt and stir well. Serve immediately.