October 1, 2011

Halibut with Garlic-Lime-Cilantro Topping

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Halibut with Garlic-Lime-

Cilantro Topping

Halibut

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.

Halibut

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.

Halibut

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.

Halibut

Notes

  • Search our blog for other Alaska-inspired recipes.
 

August 10, 2011

St. Lawrence Fried Fish

Posted by HI Cookery under 08 August | Tags: , , , , , |
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St. Lawrence Fried Fish

St. Lawrence Fried Fish

August 10: Feast Day of St. Lawrence

Having traveled to both sides of the coasts of North America, we try to take advantage of sampling the seafood there. Just last month, for business and pleasure, we were near the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans and ate fresh catch from the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) and St. Lawrence Island (Alaska). So for the Feast Day of St. Lawrence, we fried some fish. Although the recipe calls for any type of fillet, we used halibut, which is a popular fish in both areas. St. Lawrence is also one of the patron saints of Canada, Highlander’s birth country, and of chefs! In honor of the martyr who died for the faith by being burned by a gridiron, have some fried fish on his feast day.

Recipe

(Adapted from Cooking With the Saints by Ernst Scheugraf)

Ingredients

  • 2 small onions
  • 2 small potatoes
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ½ tablespoon rosemary, crushed and dried
  • ½ tablespoon dill, fresh
  • 2 fish fillets (we used halibut)
  • bacon strips (3-4 strips per person)
  • butter
  • ¼ cup cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Cut off the stem and root of each onion but do not peel.  Wash the potatoes and prick with a fork but also do not peel. Wrap each vegetable in heavy foil and bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 30-45 minutes, or until they are softened. Keep warm on the side.

St. Lawrence Fried Fish

On a lipped plate, mix the flour with the rosemary and dill. Dredge the fish fillets in this mixture. Fry the bacon in a pan and remove when cooked and crisped. Drain on paper towels. In the same pan, fry the fish in the bacon drippings for about 2-3 minutes or until browned and covered in some bacon bits. Be careful not to overcook the fish. Transfer the fish fillets to a plate and serve with the baked onion and potatoes. Add butter and cheese to the potatoes if desired.

St. Lawrence Fried Fish

Notes

  • According to the cookbook author, the name of this recipe comes from the fish that were caught in the St. Lawrence River in Canada and fried on the banks in lots of bacon drippings. It is an outdoor recipe to be cooked over a campfire but has been adapted for the indoor kitchen.
  • Thanks to Lisa L. for the fish platter from Germany.