Recipes: Halibut

by Sean McNally

Previously, I provided you all with an inside look at halibut, one of Alaska’s most prized fish. I described their somewhat unconventional appearance, their voracious feeding habits, and the common bait and techniques utilized when seeking this powerful fish. However, I left out the most important aspect of catching halibut: how to cook them. No worries; I have had the great fortune of dining on fresh-caught Alaskan halibut before and I’ve highlighted some recipes that I’ve enjoyed making and others have enjoyed eating.

Baked Halibut

6, 4 ounce halibut fillets (roughly 2 inches thick)

½ cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

3/4 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning

~1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

¾ cup panko bread crumbs

Melted butter

1.      Heat your oven to 425 degrees and place the fillets in baking pan, (preferably 15x10x1)

2.      In a bowl, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, lemon pepper seasoning, and cayenne pepper together, then spread the mixture over the fillets.

3.      Sprinkle the seasoned fillets with bread crumbs, then drizzle the melted butter over the bread crumbs (this gets them crispier and more golden once cooked)

4.      Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. (Another way to tell is if the fillets break apart easily with a fork.)

5.   Serve with side dishes of your choosing and enjoy.

Halibut Casserole

4 potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 ½ lbs halibut fillets

1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese

½ cup low-fat sour cream

1 ½ cups milk

½ tsp sage

3 tbsp flour

3 tbsp butter

1 lemon (juice and zest)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Boil potatoes and, once done, spread them in a layer on the bottom of a greased casserole    bowl.

3. Place halibut in a saucepan and sprinkle with sage—salt and pepper to taste—and cover with boiling water. Allow fish to simmer for around 15 minutes on medium heat.

4. Once fish is cooked, drain water, break the fillets into small pieces and spread them over the potatoes.

5. Melt the butter in a small pan and then stir in the flour thoroughly. Gradually mix in the milk until it thickens and then add the lemon juice, zest, and sour cream. Continue to stir mixture.

6. Pour the mixture over fish and potatoes, top the entire dish with the grated cheese, and then bake it for around 15 minutes.

A few years ago, a friend of mine went on a fishing trip to Alaska and brought back with him a ton of halibut and salmon fillets. Needless to say, the next few months were riddled with get-togethers at his place, where his wife experimented with different recipes for each fish. The baked halibut is perfect for date night at home and the casserole is right at the top of my list for comfort foods. Feel free to serve each with whatever side dishes you choose; though, they’re both quite filling by themselves.