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Monday, December 27, 2010

Recipe and Method for Pan Sauteed Halibut

I hope you had a nice holiday and are enjoying time with friends and family.


How do you cook your fish?  You are eating fish a couple of times a week, right?  We try very hard and most weeks we get at least two servings of fish in. 


I never really liked fish until I was well into my 30's.  I'm still a bit picky about what fish I eat.  Of course, I try to make sure it's fresh not farmed and that it's on the sustainability list or marked as from a sustainable source (WF Market is great for this).


I also don't like to get a fish bone in my mouth.  We all have our "things" and this is one of mine.  I basically have to stop eating if I get a bone in my mouth-Ewwww.  Sorry!  So I stay away from fish that have little bones that are impossible to remove prior to cooking.

OK, enough about me.  Oh, one more thing, I don't like my fish undercooked.  I know it's all the rage for chefs to serve fish "medium rare" but I like mine cooked so it is still slightly translucent and still flavorful, tender and moist, but not with that raw texture (except for ahi tuna).  I always ask the server in a restaurant to be sure that is how my fish is cooked.  And at home, of course, I have control over that.

Here's how I tell if the fish is cooked just right.  First, most fish takes less than 3-4 minutes per side to cook, so use that as a guide.  The true indication that the fish is no longer raw is that it will flake easily when you push down gently with a spatula.

I had this beautiful piece of halibut, seasoned it with some Penzey's Northwoods Seasoning that a friend gave me, and cooked it in a splash of olive oil over med-high heat for 3 minutes each side. (You can use any dried seasoning that you like, but if you haven't tried Penzey's Seasonings I heartily recommend them-my opinion, not paid for!)


You can see here how it flaked when I checked for doneness.


And see, it is still moist and slightly translucent inside.  I served this with some of my mango salsa, steamed spinach, and some mashed white potatoes mixed with purple sweet potatoes and some chives from my garden-YUM!


What fish are you eating and what's your favorite way to prepare it?