Cajun Blackened Mahi-Mahi with Mango Salsa

I'm craving lighter meals these days now that it's practically summer. Summer brings such a different mood to the table; much different than the heavy bowls of Spiked Chili or Pasta with Bolognese Sauce I imbibed all winter. Right now, I want to be outside grilling anything and everything in sight. But come mid-July I'm sure I'll prefer cooking simple, summery meals in my comfortable air-conditioned kitchen.

Speaking of simple, summery meals...this recipe for Cajun Blackened Mahi-Mahi is just that. The combination of a subtle flaky white fish with the harsh hot flavors of Cajun spices my mouth water - makes my nostrils flare. It's such a nice combination to have a tender fish inside and a spicy crunch on the outside.

And what would Mahi Mahi be without a cool, citrusy salsa? I combined 1 cup chopped mango, 1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno peppers, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, and a few halved grape tomatoes in a bowl. I squeezed the juice of one lime over it, mixed it all up, and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Mahi Mahi...the fish so nice they named it twice.

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Cajun Blackened Mahi-Mahi with Mango Salsa

• 2 fresh or frozen Mahi Mahi fillets
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning (more if you like it hot)
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup chopped mango
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno peppers
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 5 grape tomatoes, quartered

1. Combine 1 cup chopped mango, 1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno peppers, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, and a few halved grape tomatoes in a bowl. Squeezed juice of 1 lime over mixture. Stir together and let sit for 20-30 minutes.

2. Heat a non-stick pan with a fitting lid over medium high heat and swirl extra virgin olive oil twice around the pan.

3. Coat the Mahi Mahi thoroughly on both sides with a dash of olive oil, followed by the cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, and ground back pepper.

4. Once the oil is hot, place in pan and cover, which locks in the heat and tenderness of the fish and creates a slight crunch on the outside.

5. Blacken about 2-3 minutes per side, flipping once, until fish is cooked through. Thicker fish filets may take 4-5 minutes per side.

6. Remove fish from the pan. Plate and top with mango salsa and serve immediately.