Mahi Mahi Teriyaki with Grilled Asparagus

Teriyaki is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are broiled or grilled with a glaze of soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. The word 'teriyaki' comes from the noun 'teri', which refers to a shine or lustre given by the sugar content in the 'tare', which is boiled and reduced to the desired thickness, then used to marinate the meat. 'Yaki' refers to the cooking method of grilling or broiling, where the meat is dipped in or brushed with sauce several times during cooking, which allows the sugars in the sauce to caramelize, for a deep, rich full-bodied flavour. Many kinds of teriyaki sauce are sold in grocery stores, but the basic sauce is very easy to make and doesn't contain any preservatives that store-bought options have. Sweet and savoury, this simple and delicious recipe can be used as a marinade and glaze with any variety of fish, seafood, chicken or vegetables for a lovely Asian-style dish any time of the year.

Mahi Mahi Teriyaki 

Serves 2

3/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup mirin

6 tbsp sake

1/4 cup sugar

2 skin-on mahi mahi filets

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

1 scallion, cut into 2" lengths and thinly sliced lengthwise

2 tsp sesame seeds

1 lemon, sliced for garnish

Bring the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring well until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Place the mahi mahi and soy mixture in a resealable plastic bag, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Remove the fish from the marinade and set aside on a plate to come to room-temperature. Meanwhile, drain the marinade into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook stirring occasionally until reduced by half and starts to turn syrupy, about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss the asparagus with a little oil, season with salt and pepper and lay on a foil-lined baking sheet, and place in the oven. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and sear the mahi mahi skin down to crisp up the skin, about 3-4 minutes. Then baste with a half of the boiled teriyaki marinade and cook in the oven, basting the mahi mahi with the boiled marinade regularly, until just cooked through, about 6-8 minutes depending on the size of the filets.

To serve, arrange the grilled asparagus on warmed dinner plates and top with the mahi mahi filets and garnish with chopped scallions, sesame seeds and slices of fresh lemon.