- 1/3 vanilla bean
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- 1 head butterhead lettuce
- 6 large strawberries
- 6 (3 ounce) fillets mahi mahi, patted dry
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Split vanilla bean lengthwise with the tip of a sharp knife. Holding the pod open, scrape seeds from each half using the flat side of your knife.
- Combine vanilla bean, scraped seeds, and olive oil in a small saucepan over very low heat. Warm the oil until fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, about 5 minutes. Strain into a small bowl and refrigerate, at least 1 day.
- Combine sugar, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a pot over medium-low heat; heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let granita mixture cool, about 10 minutes.
- Pour granita mixture into a freezer-safe baking dish and freeze until half-way frozen, 1 to 2 hours. Scrape thoroughly with a fork. Freeze, 8 hours to overnight, scraping granita again the following day.
- Place 6 large leaves of lettuce on 6 serving plates. Chop the remaining lettuce and divide among the lettuce leaves. Slice each strawberry and fan out on each plate.
- Season mahi mahi with salt and pepper and cook in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat until opaque, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Divide mahi mahi among plates.
- Scrape out 1 tablespoon of granita, form into a ball, and place next to mahi mahi. Repeat for remaining plates. Drizzle vanilla-infused olive oil over each plate.