Grilled Chorrillos-Style Sea Bass

Chorrillos is an area in Lima, Peru where they are renown for making this dish. I have grilled Wolfgang's Mahi-Mahi with Tomato, Red Pepper, Onion and Basil sauce which is excellent but I decided to try this version because of the rub and the addition of spices to the sauce.

An extremely diabetic friendly dish it is also excellent for anyone looking for a healthy but flavorful way to serve a firm white fish. We both shared one 6oz fillet of Mahi Mahi (because of the orzo addition) but the recipe calls for a 6oz fillet per person.
I recommend buying fresh fish if you can but if that isn't possible and your only choice is sole or flounder use parchment or foil on the grill first.

Grilled Chorrillos-Style Mahi Mahi
Adapted from Diabetic Living
makes 2 servings

• 2 6 ounces fresh or frozen sea bass, halibut fillets or mahi mahi, about 3/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, divided
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 of a medium red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small fresh jalapeno pepper(s), seeded and finely chopped
• 2 small yellow or red tomatoes, halved crosswise and cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup lite coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons vermouth
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. For paste, in a small bowl stir together ginger, half of the garlic, the sesame oil, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cardamom. Use your fingers to rub paste evenly onto both sides of fish. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Before grilling, drizzle lemon juice over fish.

2. For a charcoal grill, place fish in a greased wire grill basket, tucking under any thin edges. Place basket on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 6 to 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning basket once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish in greased grill basket on grill rack directly over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Or, place fish on the greased unheated rack of a broiler pan, tucking under any thin edges. Broil about 4 inches from the heat for 6 to 9 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large heavy nonstick skillet cook onion in hot olive oil over medium-high heat until tender, stirring frequently. Add jalapeno pepper and the remaining garlic. Cook until onion is golden brown. Add 1/4 cup uncooked orzo and saute until it starts to toast.

4. Add 1/2 teaspoon ginger, sweet peppers, tomatoes, oregano, thyme, the remaining salt, and black pepper. Cook for a few minutes, then add the vermouth to deglaze, turn the heat to low and add the water and stir gently until all liquid is absorbed by the orzo. Add coconut milk, stir and heat through. Cover and set aside until ready to eat.

4. To serve, spoon half of the orzo/vegetable mixture into a pasta bowl. Top with the grilled fish and pour half the lemon juice on each fillet. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

• Servings Per Recipe: 2
• Calories: 252
• Protein(gm): 33
• Carbohydrate(gm): 8
• Fat, total(gm): 9
• Cholesterol(mg): 69
• Saturated fat(gm): 2
• Monosaturated fat(gm): 4
• Polyunsaturated fat(gm): 3
• Dietary Fiber, total(gm): 2
• Sugar, total(gm): 2
• Vitamin A(IU): 292
• Vitamin C(mg): 18
• Thiamin(mg): 0
• Riboflavin(mg): 0
• Niacin(mg): 4
• Pyridoxine (Vit. B6)(mg): 1
• Folate(µg): 52
• Cobalamin (Vit. B12)(µg): 0
• Sodium(mg): 580
• Potassium(mg): 818
• Calcium(DV %): 50
• Iron(DV %): 1

Diabetic Exchanges

• Vegetables(d.e): 2
• Very Lean Meat(d.e): 5
• Fat(d.e): 2