Last week, we had this colorful dish as our featured entrée. If you had blackened mahi mahi with butternut squash and roasted garlic puree with citrus salsa, chances are you raved over it (so many did). In fact, Chef Jacob said it was his most complimented featured entrée! So how was this delicious dish created?

One day, Sous Chef Tom was experimenting with a soup recipe using butternut squash and roasted garlic (that sounds good already). He came up with a tasty creation, but it turned out to be too savory for a soup.

If you experiment with cooking, you might have an experience like Tom’s; your creation is tasty, but not what you had in mind. That shouldn’t stop you – here’s what happened next.

Since it was too good to waste, Chef Jacob suggested using it for the blackened mahi mahi they were serving that night. They had been wondering what to add to enhance this flavorful fish, and figured they could use the butternut squash and roasted garlic soup as a puree to complement it. So they put the two together, added citrus salsa and voila! A popular new featured entrée was born.

Next time you create something that is good but not exactly what you wanted, use it for something else. You might end up with a new favorite meal and a creation entirely your own.

Chef Jacob declared the entrée a do-again, so keep an eye out on the daily features menu to see when it’s available.