Halibut with Garlic-Lime-

Cilantro Topping

October: National Seafood Month

Just for the halibut, we took a weekend road trip from Kenai to Homer, “The Halibut Capital of the World,” when we were in Alaska one summer for Highlander’s work project. It was a misty day driving an hour and a half through the rustic countryside to a narrow strip of land jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. Homer is a sleepy little fishing town nestled along the Kenai Mountains overlooking Kachemak Bay. We were going to eat some seafood at the Salty Dawg Saloon, an historic cabin converted into an eatery, but it reeked of cigarette smoke. So we opted to breathe healthy air and stroll along toward the Boardwalk Fish & Chips restaurant, where we ordered our fresh fried halibut and ate it at a table beside a wide window with a gorgeous view of the glaciers and ocean.

Halibut is one of the milder-tasting, meaty white fish that we both like. So occasionally Islander buys some frozen fillets at our local grocer in Texas and cooks halibut with a garlic-lime-cilantro topping, which always brings back fond memories of our drive through Homer, Alaska. Try cooking this fish dish during National Seafood Month—or just for the halibut!

Recipe

(Adapted from Great Good Food by Julee Rosso)

Ingredients

• 2 fillets of halibut (cod or other fish)
• ¼ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 4 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a glass bowl, marinate the fish fillets in lime juice for an hour. Reserve a few slices of lime as a garnish.

Peel and slice thinly the garlic cloves. In a skillet or wok, melt the butter with the olive oil. Saute the garlic slices until brown. Do not overfry or the dish will taste bitter. Remove the garlic slices and set aside.

Take the fish fillets out from the marinade (reserve the juice) and dredge first in flour. Shake off the excess flour and coat the fish fillets in panko. In the same skillet or wok where the garlic slices were fried, place the fish fillets. Fry for about three minutes per side or until golden brown. Transfer to a heated platter to keep warm. Return the garlic slices to the skillet or wok. Add the reserved lime juice marinade. Stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. When the cilantro is slightly wilted, remove from the heat. Spoon some of the garlic-lime-cilantro on top of the fish fillets. Serve immediately with extra slices of lime.

Notes

• Search our blog for other Alaska-inspired recipes.