Ingredients
Wahoo:
- 2 wahoo fillets, cut in 1/2
- 1 whole red bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion, pulled apart into circles
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pear, halved and cored
- 1 cup rum (recommended: Bacardi)
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 6 ounces fresh goat cheese (recommended: Chevre), divided
- 1 avocado, sliced
Cayenne Garlic Aioli:
- 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Candied Walnuts:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Wahoo and Spinach Salad:
Add the wahoo fillets, red bell pepper and red onion to a baking dish. Pour in the1/4 cup of olive, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to coat. In separate dish, put the halved pears, flesh side down, and add 1 cup of rum and pinch of salt and pepper. Let both mixtures marinate for 10 minutes.
Add the red pepper to the grill, periodically turning every 5 minutes or until each side is lightly charred. Add the pears to the grill, flesh side down. Grill until the flesh is slightly charred, about 12 minutes. Add the red onion and wahoo to the grill, flipping after 3 minutes.
Slice the ciabatta bread into sandwich-size pieces and add to grill to lightly toast.
Cayenne Garlic Aioli:
Mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, minced garlic, lemon juice and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Candied Walnuts:
In a cast iron pan, add the butter, walnuts, brown sugar and pinch of salt and pepper. Mix to coat and let sit on the grill in indirect heat.
Vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste.
Once the fish is cooked, pull all ingredients off the grill to a platter. Slice the bell pepper and remove the seeds and ribs.
Add the spinach to a medium bowl.
Slice the pears and add them to the spinach. Top with candied walnuts, 3 ounces of the goat cheese and salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle with half of the balsamic vinegar dressing. Spread the remaining goat cheese on 1 side of toasted ciabatta slices and cayenne aioli on other half. Assemble the sandwiches with sliced roasted bell pepper, red onion, avocado and wahoo. Finish with just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar dressing and serve with the spinach salad.
Notes
Cooks Note: This recipe can made on its own WITHOUT being sandwich style. Polenta would be a great substitute for bread. You can buy polenta in logs slice in 1-inch thick rounds and grill. Once grilled (roughly 5 minutes per side), you can layer with red pepper, onion, avocado and wahoo finish with cayenne aioli on top.
Notes
A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.
Photo: Wild Wahoo Gourmet Sandwiches with Rum Pear Spinach Salad Recipe

















Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 3 reviews
By jpierpoint2004@...
Huntington Beac...
on January 29, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Thanks to Rebecca of CDM - she was the only one of six to
actually make the recipe before rating - what a concept!!
PLEASE do not rate the chef/guest personality, what they weere
wearing,etc. This is a COOKING program people!
By trudyd0951_12918706
Poway, 43
on June 07, 2010
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
That was a great opening segment! Different approaches to Wahoo but both were delicious. Bobby Flay and Jenn Karlman had great chemistry! Now off to grill some pears for a luncheon salad.
By rebeccacdm
Corona del Mar, CA
on June 06, 2010
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
I saw this on the show this morning and this sandwich looked so good, I had to try it for lunch. I assume Patricia (previous reviewer is a friend of Jenn, the cook on the show (hence her review without actually making anything, but I also agree with her assessment of Jenn's performance. :-
That said, this sandwich was very good, but next time I will make some fairly major tweaks. The goat cheese is totally unecessary and seriously overpowered the fish - next time I will mash the avocado and spread that on the other slice of bread. I liked the lemon in the marinade, but would probably do lime next time because I think it could use some extra tartness. The Cayenne sauce was amazing - I'll be using that on lots of things (although I used about half of the lemon juice recommended and combined cayenne, ancho, and chipotle powder instead - and again, I might substitute lime next time..
I didn't think I would like the roasted pepper (you'll also want to peeal the skin off after grilling it, but it added a wonderful sweet note to ithe sandwich.
Otherwise, this sandwich was extremely tasty (and messy. I'd also recommend turning the whole thing into tacos instead - I think you would get much more out of the fish in this application with less bread (and something I plan to try tomorrow with the leftover fish!.
Read all 3 reviews