Wahoo. Maybe my favorite fish to eat. It effortlessly works its way into so many types of dishes. And, while I am partial to using wahoo in dishes with strong flavor profiles, it works ever so well in more nuanced creations as well. This recipe is just such.

Pan Fried Wahoo with Creamy Dill Leek Sauce – Ingredients

The Fish

  • Wahoo: 1+ Lb
  • White Flour: 3 Tbsp
  • Old Bay Garlic & Herb Seasoning: 2 Tbsp
  • Your Favorite Creole or Cajun Seasoning: 1/2 Tbsp (I use Black River Creole by Savory Spice)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

The Sauce

  • Leeks: 2
  • Fresh Dill: 2 Tbsp
  • Heavy Cream: 1/3 Cup
  • Chicken Stock: 1/3 Cup
  • White Wine or Vermouth (my personal preference): 1/3 Cup
  • Sauteed Sliced Garlic: 4 Cloves
  • Butter: 4 Tbsp
  • Olive Oil: 5 Tbsp

Skin , clean the blood lines (find a great primer on this at Tormenter Tackle) and cut the Wahoo into serving size chunks.

Combine, and whisk together, the flour, Old Bay and cajun/creole powder.

Pat your wahoo chunks dry and “bread” them with the flour mix. Be very thorough here. Make sure you get plenty of coating on each chunk. Set aside on wax paper until ready to cook.

Slice your garlic cloves, thick…. say. 1/8 inch thick slices. Saute in 3 Tbsp of the oil in a small pan over low heat for 3-4 minutes. Set aside for later. You will use the garlic slices in the dish – not the oil. The garlic infused oil is a happy leftover that shouldn’t last long in a busy and creative kitchen. Among its many uses, it is particularly good brushed on the crust of pizza just before you pop it in the oven.

Slice the white and pale green parts of the leels. Chop the dill. Be careful…. you don’t want stems in the sauce.

Melt half the butter (3 Tbsp) in a skillet, over medium-low heat. Stir in the leeks and cook for 5 minutes until the leeks begin to soften. Reduce the heat, remove and blend half the leek mixture then return it to the skillet. Set the heat to medium and add the wine/vermouth. Cook 5 minutes and then add the cream, chicken stock, dill and cooked garlic. Stir over heat for 2 more minutes, then remove and set aside for plating.

Time to cook the Wahoo. In a heavy skillet , heat the other half of the butter and the remaining olive oil over medium heat. When the butter/oil mix is up to heat, place two of the prepared Wahoo chunks. Cook on each side until browned – approximately 1.5 minutes per side. Repeat in batches of two until all of the fish is cooked.

Plate the fish and pour a generous dollop (or two) of the warm sauce over each piece. Add your sides and you are ready to serve and enjoy.

Bon appetit and tight lines.