Better in the Bahamas Brown Sugar Mahi Mahi over Orange Cilantro White Beans #WeekdaySupper #healthyluxemeals

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Brown Sugar Mahi Mahi with Orange Cilantro White Beans with Fennel and Haricot Vert @ASpoonfulofLuxe

Whoever said you can’t buy happiness…

hasn’t been to Atlantis.

Blue skies, warm waters, free food and drinks.

So, my man won a trip. A trip to Atlantis? Yup. At year 10 he got a pen, and at year 15… a watch. But that year, as a top producer, is when the magic happened. And a group of our friends, plus about 500 other people from his company had the trip of our lives.

Best food I’ve ever had… and did I tell you about the drinks? They had tiki bars set up around the resort all day and night, just for our group. We’re not big drinkers, but even as a legal adult, it felt like I was 16 all over again, sneaking in some wine coolers to our beach party.

And did I tell you that the resort was on the beach? And that there was an aquarium built in, complete with (big) sharks? And that our room had a plasma TV, back when plasma TVs were about the price of a BMW?

So back to the food.

When we weren’t drinking sugary drinks with little umbrellas, or lying on the beach because we were too bloated to move from drinking those sugary drinks, we ate well. I’m still drooling thinking of those lamb chops.But one dish stood out the most to me- the mahi mahi (which I hadn’t had since a kid in Hawaii!) and a beautiful side dish with fennel and white beans
.

We haven’t made it back to Atlantis, but tonight as I recreated that dish, I could almost feel my toes digging into the sand again. And I’m still smiling remembering good friends- perfect for today’s post.

You see, today I’m participating in #WeekdaySupper, which like #SundaySupper (which I’ve now been part of for 4 weeks- YAY!) is a movement to help get families back around the dinner table, but during the week too!

So, whether your dinner table is at home, or even on an exotic island with some of the best people I’ve ever met…

It’s those times with friends and family, over food, that really matter the most. And that, my friends, is something that no U.S. or Bahamian dollar could ever buy.

Brown Sugar Mahi Mahi over Orange Cilantro White Beans

with Fennel and Haricot Vert

For the Mahi Mahi

I gave this idea a shot tonight, and it was so simple, and so yummy- we loved it!

Preheat olive oil in a small skillet. Add in 1/4 c. brown sugar sprinkled on the bottom and quickly add in mahi mahi fillets, top down. Salt and pepper and don’t flip until cooked about 3/4 of the way and with a nice brown sugar sear. Then flip over fish and squeeze 1/2 of an orange over the fillets. Continue cooking until almost done, remove from pan and let rest to finish cooking.

For the Beans:

1/2 large fennel bulb, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
6 oz. haricot verts (use green beans if you can’t find), chopped
Dried herbs of choice, (I like Parisien Mix from Penzeys but you can use thyme, rosemary, tarragon)
Crushed red pepper, just a tad depending on taste
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed well
Juice from 1-1/2 oranges
2 Tblsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tblsp. champagne vinegar
2 Tblsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Saute the fennel, onion and haricot vert in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and seasonings of choice. When very soft and caramelized add in the orange juice and vinegar and saute for a few minutes. Then add in the beans and cilantro. Cook until just heated through. Salt and pepper as needed.

Caramelized Shallots (optional)

For a lovely topping to the mahi mahi, plus some chopped cilantro

Slice 1-2 shallots and saute in oil until just tender. Salt and pepper.

Source: dianadarling.net (defunct blog)