Fun with Fish: Halibut Three Ways

For the past year I have engaged in blogging to hopefully inspire friends, family, and those willing to cook more at home. I try to make dishes that are unique and interesting while not being too complicated. I love the idea of having one part of the dish bursting with flavor and spices and having other components be more simplistic in nature. For instance, in one of my last posts, the crab cake sandwich definitely has many ingredients and is a time consuming process. As a result, I created a simple sweet potato wedge recipe as a side. I want cooking to be exciting but not too overwhelming. I want people to feel comfortable making the dishes I create and excited to experiment. I love feedback and special requests. Last week, I had the pleasure of responding to a family friend's inquiry about a recipe for grilled halibut and a wine pairing. Sometimes when I am searching through recipes for inspiration, I will pull a few and decide day of depending on the mood I am. Below is a list of three ways to cook halibut for those that are as indecisive as I am.


1. Grilled halibut and salsa. Grill the halibut seasoned with garlic salt, pepper, and lemon squeezed over medium high heat for a few minutes on each side. Cook until flakes with fork. Make a warm mango salsa to pour over top. Mango salsa: Saute chopped red onion, chopped jalapeno and minced garlic. After a few minutes add chopped roma tomato and squeeze lemon. Cook with tomato for about a minute. Add chopped mango and cilantro to salsa before serving. Sauteed asparagus and white rice are a great accompaniment.

2. Breaded halbut with roasted garlic smashed potatoes.In a food processor, add about a cup of almonds and pulse until the nuts are in small bits. Add about ½ cup panko bread crumbs, dried rosemary, dried thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper if you like a bit of heat. Set up a station of the bread crumb/almond mixture on a plate, and beat an egg in a bowl. Dip the fillet in the egg and then the bread crumb/ almond mixture. This dish may be better in the oven at 375 for 20 minutes or until crispy and flaky. Don't forget to put some oil or butter on bottom of pan while baking. Squeeze with lemon after. Boil red potatoes until soft, add roasted garlic(roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and then mince), fresh minced rosemary, a tbsp butter, and some milk. Mash together and serve alongside halibut.

3. Teriyaki style halibut. In a sauce pan, cook on medium minced garlic and white onion until soft. Add 2tbsp rice wine vinegar and sauté a few more minutes. Add 1-2 cups soy sauce and brown sugar to sweeten. I simmer for a while and taste test based on the sweetness I’m in the mood for. Let cool down and then marinate halibut for 1 hour with chopped ginger. My step mom used to make this often when I was growing up. A great way to grill the halibut and keep the marinade is to lightly oil tin foil and wrap the fish. Serve with white rice.

For a wine pairing, I would go with a California Sauvignon Blanc. California recently was written up for the wonderful wines of this varietal that have been produced the last few years. Look for 08 or 09. I love the one by Santa Barbara Winery. They use a tiny bit of Riesling and a bit of oak. Perfect food wine, especially if you have a bit of spice in the dish. From New Zealand, Arona Sauvignon Blanc is another great option. This wine also has a bit of Riesling, no oak, and more of a mineral character. Enjoy!