From Episode 169: Meritt's Menu

Pan Fried Mahi Mahi With Stir-Fried Bok Choy, Macadamia Nuts, and Lemon

Serves 4

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons/75 ml extra virgin olive oil
Four 6-ounce/180-g filets Mahi Mahi
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon/10 g minced garlic
1 tablespoon/10 g minced peeled fresh ginger
4 bok choy (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg total), cut crosswise into 1-inch-/2.5-cm-wide ribbons
½ cup/70 g raw macadamia nuts, sliced
½ cup/50 g thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons/45 ml fresh lemon juice

Method:

Place a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle 2 tablespoons/30 ml of oil over the pan. Sprinkle the filets with salt and pepper. Place the filets in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown on the outside and just cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons/30 ml of oil in a large wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant and tender.

Add the bok choy and stir fry for 5 to 10 minutes or until the green parts of the bok choy have wilted and the white parts are crisp-tender. Season the bok choy to taste with salt.

Divide the bok choy evenly among 4 serving plates. Remove the filets from the pan and place them atop the bok choy. Gently wipe out the nonstick sauté pan and return it to the heat. Place the macadamia nuts in the pan and stir for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of olive oil, the green onions, and lemon juice and sauté for 2 minutes or until the onions soften slightly. Remove from the heat and spoon the nut mixture over the fish and serve.

Banoffe Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the crust:

9 ounces/250 g digestive biscuits or graham crackers
1 stick/113 g butter, melted

For the caramel filling and topping:

½ cup (packed)/100 g dark brown sugar
One 14-ounce/396-g can sweetened condensed milk
One stick/113 g butter
1 1/4 cups/295 ml heavy whipping cream
5 small bananas (about 1½ pounds/620 g total)

Method:

To make the crust:

Line the bottom of a 9-inch/23-cm springform pan with parchment paper. Blend the biscuits or graham crackers in a food processor until they are finely ground.

Pour the melted butter over the biscuit crumbs and process to blend well. The crumbs should stick together when pressed. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom and 1½ inches/4 cm up the sides of the springform pan. Refrigerate whilst you make the filling.

To make the filling and topping: 

Place a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom of the pan and cook without stirring for 2 minutes or until the sugar begins to dissolve.

Stir the sugar to blend. Continue to cook 1 minute longer or until all of the sugar is dissolved and becomes a lighter golden brown color. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the condensed milk and butter and slowly stir for 2 minutes or until the bits of caramel dissolve and the sauce thickens slightly. As soon as the caramel thickens, remove it from the heat.

Spread 1 cup/290 g of the caramel sauce over the prepared crust and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until the caramel is firm. Keep the remaining caramel sauce at room temperature. To serve, remove the pie from the pan and place it on a serving plate.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream in a large bowl until thick and very soft billowy peaks form. Very thinly slice 3 of the bananas into discs. Fold the sliced bananas into the softly whipped cream and spoon into the prepared pie crust.

Slice the remaining bananas diagonally and arrange them decoratively atop the pie. Rewarm the remaining caramel sauce gently over low heat. Drizzle some of the sauce decoratively over the pie. If the sauce has thickened too much to drizzle, stir a few tablespoons/45 to 75 ml of milk into the sauce to create a thinner consistency.

Cut the pie into wedges and place the pie wedges on plates.  Drizzle each pie wedge with more caramel sauce and serve.

Paradise Punch

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 small pineapples
4 passion fruits
1 guava
Crushed ice
2 cups/460 ml sparkling apple cider

Method:

Cut the tops off of the pineapples. Using a pineapple slicer, remove the flesh from the two pineapples, keeping the pineapple rinds intact. Transfer the pineapple slices and juices to a blender and set the pineapple casings aside. Scoop the flesh and seeds from the passion fruit and guava and add them to the pineapple mixture in the blender.

Blend until a smooth, thick puree forms. Strain the puree through a fine meshed strainer and into a pitcher. Discard the solids from the strainer.

Fill the pineapple casings halfway with crushed ice.  Divide half of the strained juices between the pineapple casings.  Add ½ cup/115 ml of sparkling cider to each pineapple casing and stir to blend.

Serve with umbrella straws. Replenish the pineapple casings as desired with more ice, strained juices and apple cider.