Roast Halibut With Spinach Salsa

The Wine and Food Lover’s Diet by Phillip Tirman, M.D.

Posted by Chronicle Books

About

Serves 2

This pretty, green variation of a tomato salsa tastes great with any roasted, seared, or sautéed fish. In one recipe, you get two parts of your Meal Planning Trilogy dinner: a protein and a Super-Savvy Carb. Halibut is a source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.

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You Will Need (13 things)

  • Spinach Salsa :
  • 2 cup well-rinsed baby Spinach leaves
  • ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 2 Shallots , finely chopped
  • ½ cup peeled, seeded, and diced Cucumber (1/4-inch dice)
  • 1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh Cilantro
  • Kosher Salt
  • Freshly ground Black Pepper
  • 2 fillets Halibut (about 5 ounces each)
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ tsp White Pepper
  • 2 tbsp grapeseed oil or Canola Oil

Steps (5 steps, 60 minutes)

  1. 1

    To make the salsa: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Stir the spinach into the boiling water and cook just until the color brightens and the leaves wilt, about 1 minute. Drain the spinach and plunge into the ice water. Drain again and squeeze the spinach with your hands to remove the excess water. Roughly chop the spinach.

  2. 2

    Place the spinach, oil, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into a bowl. Fold in the shallots, cucumber, and cilantro (if using). Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. You will have about 1 cup. The salsa can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, but is best if made within several hours of serving.

  3. 3

    To make the fish: Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and lay them on a plate. Season both sides with the salt and white pepper.

  4. 4

    In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, warm the grapeseed oil until it is very hot. Add the fillets and cook until brown on the first side, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook on the second side until browned, about 2 minutes. Immediately place the pan in the oven and cook until the fish is opaque throughout and flakes when tested with a knife but is still moist, about 7 minutes. The timing will depend on the thickness of the fillets.

  5. 5

    Transfer the fillets to 2 warmed plates. Spoon a generous amount of salsa over and beside the fillets, and serve.