Halibut Fishing with my Father

My father loved to go deep sea fishing and he especially loved fishing for halibut, snapper and cod.  My dad would have his catch cleaned and wrapped and then bring it home to stock the freezer with fresh caught fish.  We enjoyed fish throughout the year though my favorite was the halibut.  Halibut is still one of my favorite fish.  Its firm texture and sweet flesh make it perfect candidate  for the backyard barbeque.  I love a good halibut steak simply prepared on a grill served with a green salad and a side of couscous pilaf.  I don’t think there is anything better than filbert crusted halibut pan-seared in butter served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus.

Here are a few of my family’s favorite halibut recipes. Enjoy!

Marinated Halibut

Ingredients:
4 halibut steaks
3 tbs. olive oil
1 lemon juiced and 1 tsp zest
¼ soy sauce
1 tbs. fresh grated ginger
2 tbs. honey
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp. pepper flakes

Directions:
Mix up marinade ingredients and marinate halibut for at least 30 minutes.  Heat grill  to medium high heat and grill 5 minutes per side or until halibut is done.

Filbert (Hazelnut) Crusted Halibut

Ingredients:
4 oz. halibut steaks
1 cup roasted ground filberts (hazelnuts)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 egg whites lightly beaten
½ cup clarified butter

Directions:
Finely chop the filberts (hazelnuts) in a mini-chopper or food processor.  Transfer the nuts to a shallow dish and stir in the paprika, garlic, salt and pepper.  Lightly whisk the egg whites in another shallow dish.  Pat the fish dry with a paper towel.  Dip each piece of fish into the egg, letting the excess fall back into the dish.  Then press both sides of the fish into the nuts to coat.  Place on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to set the crust.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack on a baking sheet.  Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the butter.  Place the fish in the pan and then raise the heat to medium-high.  Cook turning once, until the nuts set and turn golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Transfer fish to the prepared pan and bake until it flakes.

Couscous Pilaf

Ingredients:
2 cups couscous
½ cup white wine
1 ½ cups chicken broth
3 tbs. olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup pine nuts roasted
¼ cup pumpkin seeds roasted
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat olive oil and lightly saute garlic.  Lightly toast seeds and nuts.  Bring broth and wine to a boil.  Turn off heat and add couscous and cover for 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic with oil, nuts/seeds and parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.