Halibut with Cilantro Lime Sauce

While at my local market, I cruised by the seafood section looking for my usual salmon. They didn’t have what I wanted so I decided to try something new. I literally have never cooked halibut before, but decided to give it a try. I only ordered one halibut steak, but knew I would create a recipe that more people could enjoy.

As I continued shopping, I thought of  how I would prepare the halibut. I picked up a jalapeño pepper and a few limes to go with the half bunch of cilantro I had at home. I don’t like wasting foods and did not want to make another salsa, so I decided to make a cilantro sauce to go with my fish.

Preparing this meal was very simple. I put my ingredients together to decide what to do first.

I poured the extra virgin olive oil in my favorite cast iron skillet. I chopped about a quarter of the red onion and placed it at the bottom of the skillet. I put the halibut on top of the onions and squeezed the juice of one lime over the fish. Then I sprinkled about a teaspoon of sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on top of the halibut. I then put the cast iron skillet in the preheated oven to bake at 350.

As the halibut cooked, I put about a half bunch of cilantro in my portable blender cup. I squeezed in the juice of two limes and added 1/2 chopped jalapeño. I added 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, covered and shook the cup.

At that moment I contemplated adding a little extra virgin olive oil to make the sauce a dressing. I realized I wanted it to be more of a juice consistency so I decided against that step.

I put the blender cup on the blender and pressed the puree button. I watched it blend for about three minutes, then took it off to give it a little shake. I put it back on the blender for another minute until it was the consistency I desired. 

After 25 minutes I stuck a fork into the side of the halibut and it did not look flaky enough so I put it back in the oven. Five minutes later I checked and it was perfectly flaky.

I put my lovely halibut steak on the plate and poured the cilantro lime sauce around the fish. I took the picture and felt something was missing so I added the cooked red onions.

I had to take a bite and loved the flavor. The halibut was tender and sweet, perfectly flaky. The cilantro lime sauce complimented the fish. It added additional flavor while still allowing the halibut’s natural sweet flavor come through. 

My next bite I tried with the red onion and it was delicious. All the ingredients worked well together. Halibut with Cilantro Lime Sauce was born and I couldn’t be more happy. I think my only mistake was not putting a couple of cilantro leaves on as garnish. Other than that, the meal was excellent.

I’ve included the Halibut with Cilantro Lime Sauce recipe below, however it really depends on how many people you are cooking for. The beauty in this recipe however, is that you can prepare one Halibut steak, or multiple. It depends on your family size. 

However many you prepare, I pray you enjoy!

Blessings!

Halibut with Cilantro Lime Sauce

Ingredients:

¼ c Extra Virgin Olive oil

Halibut Steaks

½ – 1 Red Onion

3-5 Limes

1 Bunch of Cilantro

1 Jalapeño

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350.

Pour 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a pan, I use a cast iron skillet. Slice the red onion and place it on the bottom of the pan. Place halibut on top of the onions, then squeeze lime juice on top, about one lime per halibut steak. Season the top of the halibut with sea salt and black pepper. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, roughly chop a bunch of cilantro, about a cup. Place the cilantro in a blender and squeeze the juice from 3 limes over the cilantro. Chop a jalapeño and place it in the blender with cilantro and lime. How much jalapeño depends on your tolerance for spicy food.

For a less spicy version, you can cut the jalapeño lengthwise, pull out all the veins and seeds, then place the green part in the blender. For more of a kick, chop ½ or a full jalapeño and put it in the blender with the rest of the ingredients. Put in about ½ tsp of sea salt, cover and blend until it’s a liquid*.

Check your halibut after 25 minutes, if it’s not flaky and cooked all the way through, bake for another 5 minutes. Take it out of the oven, plate and pour as much of the sauce over the fish as you desire.

*I like the cilantro lime sauce thin like freshly squeezed juice. If you prefer a thicker consistency similar to a salad dressing, pour in about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and blend for another minute. You can pour this over the fish and add it to your salad for a fresh salad dressing.

Enjoy!