Halibut with Lemon Butter Sauce & Capers
Ingredients:
2-3 Halibut fillets, about 6-8 oz each
4 Tablespoons butter
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 shallot, finely minced
1 Tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Dry Marinade:
Smoked paprika
Garlic powder
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
4 Tablespoons butter
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 shallot, finely minced
1 Tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Dry Marinade:
Smoked paprika
Garlic powder
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Remove skin from halibut if present. Dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with smoked paprika, garlic powder, sale and pepper on both sides. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to take the chill off, and to allow the spices to permeate the fish.
Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat just to the point where the oil starts to smoke. Add the butter. As the butter starts to froth, carefully place the fish in the pan.
Cook the fish on one side for 2-3 minutes, then gently flip and finish cooking for another minute or two. Remove the fish from the pan and set it aside to rest while you finish the sauce.
Lower the heat to medium and add shallots, lemon zest and juice, garlic, dill and capers to the browned butter in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat after 10-20 seconds.
Put a spoonful of the sauce on the plate and place a piece of fish on it. Cover the fish with more sauce. Garnish with fresh dill fronds.
Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat just to the point where the oil starts to smoke. Add the butter. As the butter starts to froth, carefully place the fish in the pan.
Cook the fish on one side for 2-3 minutes, then gently flip and finish cooking for another minute or two. Remove the fish from the pan and set it aside to rest while you finish the sauce.
Lower the heat to medium and add shallots, lemon zest and juice, garlic, dill and capers to the browned butter in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat after 10-20 seconds.
Put a spoonful of the sauce on the plate and place a piece of fish on it. Cover the fish with more sauce. Garnish with fresh dill fronds.
Notes:
Halibut is a nice firm fish, but it dries out badly if it is overcooked. Keep a sharp eye on it while it's in the pan
You can add some white wine to the sauce, but the acid in the lemon juice is already tangy enough, so be careful not to unbalance the flavors.
This one is really all about technique. If the fish is cooked just right, you've got a chef-worthy dish. Overcook the fish and you just made very expensive cat food.
You can add some white wine to the sauce, but the acid in the lemon juice is already tangy enough, so be careful not to unbalance the flavors.
This one is really all about technique. If the fish is cooked just right, you've got a chef-worthy dish. Overcook the fish and you just made very expensive cat food.