ONO you di'int!

In hawaii, they have a word to describe foods that are delicious: “ono.”  well, i lucked into a delightfully ono two weeks in kauai, where this happened to be my cooking view:

 
I’m not sure how I’m going to reconcile going back to cooking in washington…  with a view of my overgrown front yard and the neighbours’ house across the road (who by the way avoid eye contact like it’s contagious)…  BUT, good god, that view was fun for a little bit.  whilst we were in the garden isle, we attacked local fish like it was going out of season (which, by the way, it wasn’t).  we assaulted the ahi, we mauled the moonfish, we murdered the mahi mahi…  should there be an overfishing (or over-alliterating) problem off the coast of kauai this year, the fuller family might be directly responsible.

of the many dishes we cooked, one of the first (and most memorable) was bobby flay’s mahi mahi (the fish so nice they named it twice!!) with yellow pepper-cilantro pesto.  sweet and pungent, yet not overpowering enough to overwhelm the mahi², this was the pesto that dreams were made of.  (even if you were using the broken blender that came with the house rental, which slowly sprayed you a greenish hue as it lamely attempted to process.) 
 

barbecued mahi mahi with yellow pepper-cilantro pesto (adapted a titch from bobby flay)

rub:
2 tablespoons spanish paprika
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon chile de arbol powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
 
(truth: i was on vacation, away from my spice cabinet.  i used some chile powder, paprika, and salt & pepper.  done.)
 
yellow pepper-cilantro pesto:
2 large yellow bell peppers, grilled, peeled, seeded and chopped (truth: i had a bunch of baby orange/red peppers on hand.  they did fantastically.)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
 
mahi mahi:
4 mahi mahi fillets 8 ounces each (or more.  you’re on holiday.  live a little)
4 teaspoons olive oil
spice rub
cilantro leaves
 
directions
combine all the rub ingredients in a small bowl.
place peppers, garlic, pine nuts, cilantro and cheese in a (broken) food processor and process until combined.  with the motor running, add the oil and process until emulsified and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
 
(side note, pesto is one of those things that is marvelously adaptable.  no pine nuts?  great, use almonds!!  no parmesan?  fab, use manchego!!  no cilantro?  throw some basil in there and be done!  there really is a rarely more adaptable recipe out there.  give me a jar of marmite and a bag of frazzles and i just might be able to cobble a pesto out of it.  maybe.)
 
heat grill to high and brush each fillet on both sides with oil and rub.  place on the grill and cook until slightly charred and a crust has formed, about 2 to 3 minutes.  turn the fish over and grill for 3 to 4 minutes longer or until cooked to medium doneness.  top each fillet with a few tablespoons of the pesto and garnish with cilantro leaves.

 
enjoy with tiki torches and view of stoned surfers parked by the beach thinking they’re being awfully stealthy.  (hint to surfers:  think again.  you're really not.)  and after 2 weeks of eating delicious fish, don't despair when darling daughter responds that her favourite fish is bacon.  'cause let's be honest, all things bobby and pesto and mahi²  considered, she might be onto something...