Pan Seared Halibut with Huckleberry Reduction and Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce

The last of the season!  :(

Fresh Wild Alaskan Halibut season generally runs for 8 months, from March through November.

One of our favorite types of fish, halibut has a mild flavor, it is firm in texture, and difficult to overcook. Many people who don't like other fish simply adore halibut for those reasons.

When our fish purveyor featured these beautiful portions of fresh Halibut, I could not pass them up. The only dilemma was how to prepare them for the close of the season.

In the summer we love it simply grilled with salt and pepper, and maybe a squeeze of lemon, lime, or served with a warm  lemon-caper-butter sauce.

But because this is farewell to fresh halibut until next spring, when the season opens again, I wanted to do something a little more special.  Something that combined the flavors of the Pacific Northwest... because that's where I am. :)

I happened to have some fresh, slightly tart huckleberries on hand, and  I always keep Oregon Hazelnuts in the freezer, so I devised this recipe (actually a non-recipe), which we thoroughly enjoyed.

My apologies in advance... for those who know me or follow my blog, you know as many times as not, I'll just line up my ingredients and begin cooking without a recipe, just an idea in my head. That TRULY is the pleasure of cooking for me ~ the creative aspect of using what I have on hand, and not being tied to a recipe.

That is the case with this dish... I can describe how I made it, but there are no exact measurements ~ have fun and prepare it to taste, and in the proportions to fit your family.

Here is how I arrived at this dish ( a serving for two):

Two serving size pieces of  fresh halibut

Generous 1/4 cup Huckleberries -or other berry of your choice-

(Plus extra berries for garnish)

Hazelnuts -or other tree nut of your choice-

A tiny bit of sweetener (agave, honey, sugar)- depending upon tartness of berries

Olive Oil & Butter

Salt and Pepper

Step 1.  Make the Huckleberry -or other berry- reduction.

A generous 1/4 cup of fresh huckleberries with a couple of tablespoons of water and a little agave syrup (or sugar), to ease some the the tartness of the berries ~ not to make the sauce sweet. Bring ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low to reduce amount by nearly half. Stir occasionally. Keep warm.

Step 2. Rinse halibut, blot excess moisture off ~ salt and pepper, and dust with all-purpose flour. Tap off excess flour. Heat equal amounts of oil and butter in a frying pan over medium - high heat until melted and almost sizzling.  


Add halibut to the pan (don't crowd), allow to cook on one side for a few minutes (about 3 to 5 minutes, depending upon the thickness of fish.)  Turn once and cook other side until fish is just firm when you press down upon it. (Again about 3 to 5 minutes.) 


Remove fish to warm serving plates or a platter.  Cover loosely with foil and keep warm.

Step 3. Add another tablespoon or two of butter to the same pan, allowing it to melt, stirring to scrape up any bits from interior bottom of pan. Add chopped hazelnuts (or walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc.) and allow to cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching either the nuts or the butter.  

When butter is golden in color but not burned, remove pan from heat and keep warm.

Step 4. Drizzle the warm berry reduction on warm plates, arrange seared halibut on top. Spoon the warm hazelnut brown butter over all,  garnish with additional fresh berries, and serve right away.

Because I wanted the flavor of the fish and sauces to shine and take center stage, I didn't want any competition from the vegetable, so I served raw baby pea shoots alongside.  It turned out to be an excellent combination of flavors.   Lightly sauteed baby spinach and steamed rice would make good accompaniments as well.

If you would like a printable copy of this "non-recipe", you'll find it on my recipe blog. Click HERE. 

If you try this,  I hope you enjoy it!

Thank you for stopping by today, friends.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

~mari

Halibut with Chipotle Tomato-Cucumber Relish

You've probably noticed we've been including more fish into our weekly meals.

In the interest of health I choose to grill, broil, steam or poach the fish and serve it with a flavorful fresh sauces, salsas, or in this case a relish.

I try to make the sauces or accompaniments vibrant and interesting so the heavier sauces are not missed at all.

Weather permitting, I love to dine al fresco to enjoy the gardens ~ we relax and slow down to enjoy the little things, adding another dimension to the dining experience. :)

Three to four ounces of protein doesn't sound like much of a portion, but filling out the plate with low calorie, steamed or stir-fried veggies helps fill the tummy!

This time the sides were steamed haricot verts (I added a little freshly minced garlic on top, and steamed along with the beans)... which I inadvertently overcooked.

I hate when I do that! :(

I sauteed some yellow crook-neck squash with some thinly sliced yellow onion as well.

The relish couldn't be easier ~ No recipe needed.

I combined some cubed English, or "hot house" cucumber, diced tomatoes on the vine, finely diced red onion, Chipotle sauce to taste, along with a touch of white wine vinegar, a scant 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and a tiny pinch of salt to taste, if needed.

Rinsed capers would go nicely here, too.

I toss it together about 30 minutes or so before serving so the elements have a chance to mingle before serving.

All in all, a light, yet satisfying, filling dinner.

If you have your mind into eating lighter, I think you might really enjoy this.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today, and for any comments you might care to share.

xo~m.

Salmon & Halibut Brochettes

A long-time favorite dish which happily still fits in with the lifestyle change. :)

The assembly is simple and the flavors straightforward.

I cut the halibut and salmon filets into large chunks to assure they remain succulent and juicy while grilling over mesquite.

This time I skewered chunks of sweet red bell pepper, with thick slices of zucchini, both green and yellow at each end to secure the fish. I use two bamboo skewers for each brochette; this technique secures the fish and vegetables for stability, making them easier to turn on the grill.

This time I served steamed brown rice, steamed fresh green beans with lightly sauteed sliced cremini mushrooms, and sliced tomatoes as sides.

I brush all sides sparingly with olive oil mixed with a little fragrant paprika, then sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper right before placing them on the hot grill.

These make a great casual party entree, as they can be made a few hours ahead, wrapped with cling film and kept refrigerated until time to grill or broil them.

I always finish with snipped Italian Parsley, and offer lemon slices at the table.

This is certainly one of my favorite methods of serving salmon and halibut. If you try this combination I hope you like it, too!

Have a healthy and delicious day!

Grilled Halibut with Mediterranean Flavors

We're advised to follow more of a Mediterranean-style diet for good health, which is fine by me because we find the flavors so agreeable. :)














The clean flavor of halibut is mild and the meat is firm; people who may not particularly like fish
usually find they don't mind halibut. I love almost all fish, and halibut is one of my favorites!














You don't really need a recipe, I just improvise this kind of dish by starting with the fish, then put myself into a Mediterranean frame of mind and think of the elements indigenous to that part of the world for the flavorings in the sauce.























I thought a vinaigrette would be good with the grilled fish (this would go well with other types of fish as well).

I made a basic red wine vinegar vinagrette, with very little extra virgin olive oil & heavy on the vinegar. If you find the vinegar flavor too strong you can dilute it with a little water.

I did not add salt to the vinagrette, only fresh chopped oregano and black pepper as the capers, even when rinsed, are salty.

As you can see, I halved some sweet cherry tomatoes then tossed them in the vinaigrette.

After that it is just a matter of plating the grilled fish and spooning the Tomato-Oregano vinaigrette over all. I garnished with additional fresh oregano leaves for additional flavor and color. It's equally good served immediately hot from the grill, or at room temperature as a salad.

If you try this I hope you like this as much as we do.

Have a Healthy and Delicious day. xo ~m

Grilled Halibut with Tomato-Olive Herb Relish

I adore halibut and usually just prepare it simply, it's mild flavor and meaty texture make it a perfect partner for interesting finishes, such as this light and healthy fresh relish.

The uncooked relish is also fabulous on other fish, grilled chicken, chops, as a topping for toast slices, or mixed in with your favorite pasta.



You can either prepare it up to an hour ahead, or mix it up right before serving.

This time I served with fresh, steamed green beans with toasted pine nuts, along with grilled Russet potato slabs. To make them, I nuke the potatoes until just tender, when they are cool enough to handle slice 1/2 -inch to 3/4-inch thick slabs. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and grill until as crispy as you like. To finish I sprinkle some Piment d'Espelette (or Cayenne pepper) over, lightly.

If you would like the recipe for the relish, and some suggestions for variations ~
Please visit my recipe blog for a printable copy of the recipe.


Click HERE for the recipe. :)