Pan Fried Halibut with Lime…

I literally made this recipe up as I went along. My original plan was to have fresh seared tuna steaks, however my local supermarket didn’t have any, but they highly recommended the freshly delivered halibut. Halibut can be quite expensive so cod or even haddock could be used instead.

I am also a big fan of lime in recipes (hence LimeSoup) and I have not cooked fish together with lime in a long long time.
So let’s get cooking shall we?…

Pan Fried Halibut with Lime, Coriander & Chilli Butter – served with new Potatoes and Asparagus:

Pan Fried Halibut

Serves 2 Adults.

Ingredients:

• 600-800g Halibut (approx 400g filleted) – Cod or Haddock could be used instead.
• 8 New Potatoes (more if desired)
• 1 Bunch of Asparagus (approx. 180g)
• 1 Clove Garlic (Crushed or Chopped)
• 1 Good Handful of Fresh Coriander (Tarragon could be used instead)
• 1/2 a Red Chilli (more if you really like Chilli)
• Butter
• 1 Lime (cut in 2)
• Salt & Pepper
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 50g Butter (real butter, not margarine)
• Salad leaves to garnish

Method:

1. The Potatoes. Boil the potatoes in boiling salted water for 6 minutes.
   Take the potatoes off the cooker and drain off all the hot water. The potatoes should be a bit undercooked.
   Run cold water over the potatoes for a few minutes, this will stop the cooking process.
   Slice the potatoes into slices, approx 3 slices per potato (see photo). We will use these later.
2. The Asparagus. While it is not necessary to peel asparagus, you should cut off the fibrous base before cooking, roughly the bottom quarter.
   Wash it under cold water to remove any sand or soil.
   Simmer the asparagus in salted water for 2 minutes, then drain of the hot water and run cold water over them, just like you did with the potatoes. Cut them in two. We will use these later.
3. The Paste. Place the crushed garlic & coriander in a Pestle & Mortar along with 2tbsp olive oil, the juice of half a lime and a pinch of salt. Grind into a nice smooth paste.
   If you don’t have a Pestle & mortar, you could use a small blender, or just chop the garlic and coriander as finely as you can.
   

   The Garlic, Oil & Coriander being crushed
4. Finely chop the red chilli.
5. On a medium heat, melt 50g butter in a frying pan, add the red chilli, juice of half a lime and 1 tbsp olive oil (the oil will prevent the butter from burning)
6. Season the halibut with salt then fry in the butter for 1-2 minutes, then turn and fry the other side for another minute.
   

   Frying the Halibut
7. Remove the halibut from the pan and onto a plate, leaving the butter in the pan. Cover the halibut loosely with tin-foil and allow it to rest.
8. Turn up the heat to medium-high and sautè the potatoes and asparagus for approx. 2 minutes.
9. Add the garlic and coriander paste and cook for another 3-4 minutes while mixing gently, and until the potatoes begin to be a golden brown colour.
   

   The Vegetables
10. Spoon the potatoes and asparagus onto a plate, leaving most of the butter sauce in the pan.
    Carefully place the halibut pieces on top of the vegetables then spoon over the butter sauce. Garnish with a simple salad.
11. Enjoy with a nice chilled white wine

If you notice any spelling mistakes or omissions in this recipe, please email me or leave a comment below.