Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Butternut Squash and Sage Brown Butter

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A regional Italian-American dinner-menu classic made easy at home: thick mahi-mahi fillets grilled with clean crosshatch marks, roasted butternut squash and blistered green beans, and a nutty sage brown butter that comes together in the four minutes the fish rests. The trick is oiling the fish instead of the grates and flipping only once, so the fillets release cleanly and stay juicy.

Ingredients

• 4 mahi-mahi fillets, 6 oz each and at least 1 inch thick, skinless
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

• 1 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
• 12 oz green beans, trimmed
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• kosher salt and black pepper

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 16 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
• 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the butternut squash cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds of pepper. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between the cubes.
2. Roast the squash for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once at the 15-minute mark, until the edges are deeply browned and a paring blade slides in with no resistance. Keep warm.
3. While the squash roasts, pat the mahi-mahi completely dry on all sides with paper towels — surface moisture is what makes fish stick. Rub each fillet with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, then season all over with the salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Let the fish sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while the grill heats.
4. Heat a gas grill to medium-high (about 450°F) with the lid down, or build a hot charcoal fire; indoors, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high for 5 minutes. Scrape the grates clean with a brush and leave them dry. Do not oil the grates — the oil on the fish is enough and grate oil just burns off and creates glue.
5. Lay the fillets on the grates on a diagonal and close the lid. Grill undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the fillets release easily when nudged with a thin spatula and the bottoms show defined char marks. Flip once and grill 3 to 4 minutes more, until the center reads 130 to 135°F on an instant-read thermometer and the flesh flakes at the thickest point.
6. Transfer the fish to a warm platter, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest while you make the sauce; it will coast up to about 140°F.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the green beans and bell pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes until blistered in spots but still snappy. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 45 seconds more, then season with salt and pepper and slide onto the platter alongside the fish.
8. Wipe the skillet, set it over medium heat, and add the butter. Let it melt, foam, and then quiet down, swirling constantly, 3 to 4 minutes, until the milk solids at the bottom are golden brown and the butter smells like toasted hazelnuts.
9. Add the sage leaves — they will sputter — and fry for 30 to 45 seconds until crisp and the sizzling slows. Pull the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and swirl to combine.
10. Scatter the roasted squash around the fish, spoon the sage brown butter and crisp leaves over everything, and finish with pine nuts if using and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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