The Living Seas is the one Epcot pavilion that kind of makes me feel like I’m on a third-grade field trip. The ocean is like a magnet when I need peace and healing and perspective, much in the same way that the forest and the mountains are. Sometimes more – because I feel safe walking miles all alone. But having the chance to “pretend” to be underwater and see these fish up close is something my husband loves. I mean loves, loves, loves.
Escape from THE LIVING SEAS
So, while I’m trying to do a 4-minute run-through and escape to The Land, Captain Bacon is spending 30 minutes watching one blowfish. What is it about men and blowfish, anyway? Frankly, I’d much rather snorkel in the Caribbean or walk on the beach in Laguna Beach. I would love to scuba dive but I don’t because of problems with my ears and vertigo and claustrophobia I am a chicken.
A bright spot in all of the darkness and lack of sunlight that is The Living Seas is the Coral Reef Restaurant. So, let’s get real; it’s not my favorite in Epcot by 100 nautical miles. Is it really anyone’s? What draws us in is the chance to dine underwater – watching the fish and ocean life dance in their artificial world. The menu changes frequently, but one of the most popular (and loved by many) items is the Mahi-Mahi with Coconut Cilantro Sauce.
Mahi-Mahi is not a mammal and a tiny confession
Mahi-Mahi, which is not related to the mammal that we know as a dolphin (dolphin-fish is relate to its scientific name), is a rather bland, mild, and sustainable fish. Yes sustainable – if it comes from the Atlantic side! It begs for a flavoring or a sauce, and the latest Coral Reef version is ambitious with a lot of sweetness and a little bit of exotic. The biggest caveat is that it really needs to be fresh, as in almost still alive or at least a little pink in the grocery store seafood section. Unlike shrimp or crab legs, it loses all of its goodness when smothered in those frozen packs in Kroger’s freezer. If it’s tan or grey, it is fine to eat – it just will be like you had it at Golden Coral.
And by the way (confession), I get a serious Golden Coral craving about once every eight years with its 87 canned food choices and 22 desserts. Even forest snobs have their moments of gross humanity.
mashed potatoes and my ongoing passive-aggressive behaviors
Now, the most recent edition of Coral Reef’s Mahi-Mahi is served over jasmine rice. It probably even works better for this recipe than the mashed potatoes I used because it can soak up all of that glorious sauce. But Captain Bacon is a mashed potatoes man (remember why he married me). So because he went and bought my long-requested American-made RV tires today, I decided to make mashed potatoes. And ONLY because. You see, we’ve been arguing about this for weeks, with him wanting the far cheaper Chinese brand from Walmart – the exploding kind. I would have made rice otherwise without a blink. Of course, I made the Le Cellier version (best in the world, period), and added just a little grated sharp cheddar to give it another bing of contrast to the sweetness of the sauce. After all that, he is still fussy tonight, but probably go to sleep before I finish this post (carbs!).
This is totally a camping-friendly meal. I would grill the Mahi-Mahi instead of pan-searing it, and would make the sauce ahead of time. And oh, the sauce. It’s called Coconut-Cilantro, but it’s really more like coconut-onion-tomato-love. There’s not that much cilantro. But that title sounds oh so millennial. The recipe I’ve shared is pretty much Disney’s original, but I made some minor changes – sometimes their recipes don’t make sense when they’ve been reduced from feeding-the-millions quantities.
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Good: Very impressive for dinner guests. Easier than it looks. Thai flavors. Shrimp on top (if you’re not sure about how something will turn out, just put shrimp on top – restaurant secret).
Bad: Hard to get fresh mahi-mahi. Very sweet (added more lime to counteract).
Ugly: It’s a pretty dish that needs a white plate. I may have put too much sauce on it because it’s starting to look like shrimp and grits.
Coral Reef Mahi-Mahi with Coconut-Cilantro Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Vidalia (or sweet) onions, chopped
- 13.5 oz can coconut milk in Thai section of grocery
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium tomatoes or four Roma tomatoes
- 1 poblano pepper, diced finely
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb rock shrimp, shelled and deveined can substitute other shrimp
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp lime juice, fresh squeezed yes, I used a lot more
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 recipe mashed potatoes
- 4 Mahi-Mahi filets, fresh (or still a bit pink)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare mashed potatoes (or rice) and keep warm.
- Puree one of the chopped onions and the coconut milk together in a blender or food processor. If you taste it, don't freak out. It will be milder after cooked!
- Saute one onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add garlic, and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and poblano, and cook about three minutes until tomatoes are a little soft.
- Add salt, pepper, and 1/2 the coconut mixture (that's all I needed - you can add more), and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In another pan, saute the shrimp in butter and lime juice. Watch it constantly. Cook only until the shrimp have just become pink. Don't overcook.
- Add shrimp mixture to the coconut mixture. Add cilantro and keep it as low as possible to keep it warm.
- Heat the oil in a skillet (preferably a cast iron skillet) on high. Season mahi-mahi with salt and pepper. Sear mahi-mahi on high for about one minute, and reduce heat a little. Turn after two or three minutes, and cook on other side. Do not overcook. Move off of heat.
- Put mashed potatoes on rice on each plate. Top with mahi-mahi, and then the shrimp with a lot of sauce. Alternatively, you can put some of the sauce on the plate before the mashed potatoes. Serve immediately (this needs to be a hot, fresh dish).
