# Just for the halibut!



## Somebunny (Sep 25, 2011)

Does anybody have a TNT cooking method for Halibut fillets?  We thought we took a halibut roast out of the freezer, but it seems to be 3 largish fillets.  We don't want  to deep fry them or make fish tacos, soooooany ideas?


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## Zhizara (Sep 25, 2011)

Cut a fillet into 2" chunks and poach in some Italian dressing.  (Just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet.)  No need to add anything else.  Most of the vinegary taste boils off and you're left with all those lovely spices.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Sep 25, 2011)

*FIVE SPICE FISH MARINADE AND SAUCE*

1 lb fish fillets
4 Tbs sesame oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lite soy sauce
1/3 cup hoi sin sauce
2 tsp turbinado sugar
1 Tbs chili garlic sauce
2 tsp Chinese five spice
1 tsp ground ginger

Marinate the fish in the sesame oil and lemon juice for 30 minutes. While the fish is marinating, combine the remaining ingredients and heat in a pan for 10 minutes over medium heat. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning once, basting occasionally with the sauce.


*HALIBUT IN COCONUT CARAMEL SAUCE*

Marinade:
4 Tbs sesame oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lite soy sauce
1/3 cup hoi sin sauce
2 tsp turbinado sugar
1 Tbs chili garlic sauce
2 tsp Chinese five spice
1 tsp ground ginger

2 cups demerara sugar 
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Fresh ground black  pepper
2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced very thin

Place sugar in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Whisk sugar  until it is melted and dark amber colored, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk. Mixture will bubble vigorously. Stir over medium heat until caramelized sugar is dissolved. Stir in fish sauce, shallots, ginger, garlic, and remaining coconut milk and stir over medium-high heat until desired thickness. 

Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, turning once. Pour sauce over plated fish fillet, then garnish with green onions and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper to taste. 


*HALIBUT WITH COCONUT-MANGO SALSA*

4 to 6 red halibut fillets

Marinade:
½ red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs cooking oil
1 Tbs pineapple (or other) vinegar
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground Jamaican allspice
1 tsp crushed red pepper 
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Coating:
½ cup flour
2 tsp basil
2 tsp turbinado sugar
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg


Coconut-Mango Salsa:
2 plum or Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2* red onion, finely chopped
1* cup mango, cubed
1/4* cup*flaked, sweetened coconut
1/4* cup*minced fresh cilantro
1* Tbs*chopped fresh mint
2* tsp*fresh lime juice
1* tsp*brown sugar
1/4* tsp*black pepper
1/4* tsp*crushed red pepper

Prepare marinade and marinate the halibut for 1 hour. While halibut is marinating, prepare Mango salsa in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow flavors to meld. Combine ingredients for the coating in a shallow glass baking dish. 

Spray non-stick pan with cooking spray and place over medium high heat. Remove halibut fillets from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge fillets in coating mix and sauté fillets on both sides until fish flakes easily. Plate each fillet and top with the mango salsa. Serve with brown rice and sautéed vegetables. 


*THAI STYLE HALIBUT*

4 halibut fillets
4 Tbs peanut or Canola oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp yellow curry powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbs cornstarch, dissolved in 4 Tbs water

Mix all of the above spices together and season the snapper fillets on both sides.

Sauce:
	2 Tbs sesame oil 
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
	1 green chile, seeded and chopped
	1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
	1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
	4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup soy sauce 
	1/4 cup pineapple vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 Tbs turbinado sugar
	1 Tbs grated fresh ginger 

In a sauté pan, heat the sesame oil. Add the onion, white part of the scallion, jalapeno, chile, and bell peppers and saute until soft, but not browned. Add the soy sauce and pineapple vinegar and boil for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and ginger and continue to boil for 1 minute. Add the cornstarch and water, lower heat, and allow to simmer.  

While the sauce simmers, fry the halibut fillets in peanut or canola oil for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Spread 1/2 cup of Jasmine rice on plate, place the halibut on the rice, and pour 1/4 of the sauce over each fillet. Garnish with green part of scallions.


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## spork (Sep 25, 2011)

Great looking recipes, SirLoin!  If I don't have raw unprocessed sugar grains, I assume I can substitute maybe light brown?  Love the discussion thread title and look forward to other ideas for the giant flatfish...


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## Somebunny (Sep 26, 2011)

Mmmmmm!  Thanks for the tasty ideas all!


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## CharlieD (Sep 26, 2011)

If they have skin season them and fry them sckin down in little bit of butter and if you add a little bit of nice white wine after say 5 minutes, thay will be awesome. Also grilling is a good option.


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## Zhizara (Sep 26, 2011)

Simmer in garlic butter and sprinkle with dill.

Cut off the thicker ends of the fillets, and cut into largish cubes, bread and fry for nuggets.   Serve with dipping sauces.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Sep 26, 2011)

spork said:


> Great looking recipes, SirLoin!  If I don't have raw unprocessed sugar grains, I assume I can substitute maybe light brown?  Love the discussion thread title and look forward to other ideas for the giant flatfish...



I never buy refined sugar, but you can make caramel with it.


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## ChefJune (Sep 26, 2011)

FWIW, I would never make tacos with a fish as opulent (and expensive) as halibut.

Here's a suggestion that will bring out the beautiful texture of the fish.

Warm a sauté pan (with a cover).  Spray lightly with oil.  Spread the top of the fish fillet with about 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard. (If you can find the wonderful tarragon mustard of Edmond Fallot, do try it!)  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste, and place the fillet ­ mustard side DOWN ­ in the hot oil.  Cook for about 3 minutes this way, then use a spatula to turn the skin side down.  Add ¼ cup of vermouth to the pan and scrape up the mustard and brown bits on the pan bottom.  Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pan and let the fish “poach” (or steam) in the liquid for 5 or 6 minutes more.  Pour those yummy juices over the fish fillet on the service plate!


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## Claire (Sep 26, 2011)

Something called demera sugar is pretty readily available; it's called different things in different places, and in some breakfast places you can get it in those little brown envelopes (I think the name is "sugar in the raw").  It has larger crystals than refined sugar and is light brown in color.  I used to buy it by some other name in Hawaii, and various other names in different places I've lived.  It isn't totally unrefined, I don't think, but maybe less so that pure white, fine-grained sugar.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Sep 27, 2011)

Halibut (jews fish ) is one of the most expensive fish in the UK, its is also my favorite fish.
I never tire of just dotting it with butter and cooking it under the grill.
I mess with a lot of things but halibut is sacrosanct


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## CWS4322 (Sep 27, 2011)

I'm with Bolas--I like to poach it in some white wine and unsalted butter, then I make a sauce using some mustard, lots of fresh dill, lemon juice, S&P. Sometimes I add capers.


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## Rob Babcock (Oct 6, 2011)

I'd either poach it in court bouillon or grill it over the gas or charcoal grill.  Nothing more than S&P with a bit of lemon juice at the end.  Halibut is so wonderful that it doesn't need any adornment.  Although occasionally I do top it with a sauce of shallots, capers, white wine and cream.


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## buckytom (Oct 6, 2011)

sear on both sides in evoo with a few whole smashed garlic cloves, remove garlic, add lemon thyme, minced shallots and cherry tomatoes and sautee until the tomatoes soften and the fish is just barely cooked through.


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## spork (Oct 6, 2011)

Simply steamed is good, too.
Seasoned, and laid on a sheet of re-hydrated kombu seaweed, sprinkled with a powdered grind of dried shiitake mushroom.  A dip of soy sauce, sake, yuzu or lemon juice, fine chives, pinch of sugar and grated ginger.


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## TATTRAT (Oct 7, 2011)

It's also a great fish for Almondine. Just crust it in almond, sear finish in the oven, serve w/ hericot vert and roasties with browned butter. 

Pan Seared and topped with jumbo lump crab, and smoked gouda cream sauce is an all time fave.

Run potatoes through a Japanese mandolin, and wrap the fillet in the shoestring potatoes. Pan sear 'til golden all around, and serve on a bed of smashed peas for an upscale fish and chips.


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## pmeheran (Dec 17, 2011)

Somebunny said:


> Does anybody have a TNT cooking method for Halibut fillets?  We thought we took a halibut roast out of the freezer, but it seems to be 3 largish fillets.  We don't want  to deep fry them or make fish tacos, soooooany ideas?



Use your nose to check freshness and freezer burn. Halibut is more tolerant of this than many other fish, but it doesn't hurt to check.  Then, I would take an over large piece of foil for each fillet and spray it with oil.  Season the fillets, heat the gas grill, lay the fillets on the first half of the foil.  Put them on the hot grill, when one side is done, grab the foil with forceps, lift the foil and flip the fillet onto the other half of the foil. There is a learning curve to this technique, but if you are successful, the fillets will remain whole and undamaged.  Oh, if you overcook this expensive fish, you might as well eat a can of tuna.  I remember when I was a kid in Connecticut, the halibut were so huge, that you would buy big steaks and just lay them on the grill then sear them like a beef t bone, but sadly those days are long gone and now we are relegated to buying fillets off the babies.


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