Halibut Piccata Recipes

HALIBUT PICCATA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper.
• Preheat a nonstick saute pan over medium high until hot and add the olive oil.
• Lightly coat the halibut fillets in the seasoned flour (I use Gluten-free mix, rice will also work) and place in the pan.
• Sear until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
• Flip the fillets to sear the underside, then transfer them to a baking sheet and place in the oven to finish cooking, about 5 minutes more.
• The halibut should be just cooked through.
• Meanwhile, add the wine and lemon juice to the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits.
• Add the garlic and capers and cook the liquid over medium-high heat until reduced by two-thirds.
• Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter to create a creamy, piquant sauce.
• Taste and whisk in more butter if desired.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place fillets on two plates and drizzle each with the piccata sauce.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

CAPERS AND HALIBUT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the halibut steaks on all sides until nicely browned. Remove from pan, and set aside.
• Pour the wine into the pan, and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce to almost nothing, then stir in the garlic, butter and capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for a minute to blend the flavors.
• Return the steaks to the pan, and coat them with sauce. Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve fish immediately with the sauce from the pan poured over it.

HALIBUT PICCATA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Put the rice in a small sauce pan. I like to rinse my rice by placing in a sieve and running under cold water. This rids the rice of excess starch powder and broken rice which makes the cooked rice mushy and sticky. Add just enough water to cover the top of the rice by 1/2 inch (approx. 3 cups) Cover the pot with the lid. Place over medium to medium high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for at least another 10 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed. Turn off burner and allow rice to sit, covered, for at least another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper and stir to fluff.
• IN THE MEANTIME, sprinkle the fish with the rest of the salt and pepper, and dredge in flour.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 2 1/2 minutes on each side (less for thinner filets) or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Add wine, juice, and capers to the pan; cook one minute.
• Add butter to pan, stirring until butter melts. Remove fish and sauce from pan; keep warm.
• Wipe pan clean with paper towel, add spinach and saute one minute or until wilted.
• Place 1/4 of the rice on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1/4 of the spinach, one fish filet, and 1/4 of the sauce.

HALIBUT PICCATA

Steps:

• In a 7- to 8-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, combine garlic with 1/2 tablespoon of the oil. Stir often until limp but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add wine, lemon juice, and capers. Boil, uncovered, until reduced to 1/2 cup, 3 to 4 minutes; keep sauce warm.
• Preheat oven broiler. Rinse halibut, pat dry, and cut into 4 to 6 equal portions. Rub fish with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and arrange in a single layer in a 12- by 17-inch broiler pan (without rack).
• Broil halibut 3 to 4 inches from heat for 3 minutes. Using a spatula, gently turn fish over, sprinkle with cheese, and broil until opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), about 3 more minutes.
• Transfer fish to a platter or individual plates and top with sauce.