I got a beautiful piece of halibut from Community Seafood and since there were so many lemons on my lemon tree I decided to put them to good use. Mixing other ingredients into butter to enhance its flavor is called “compound butter”. It’s a fun and easy way to turn butter into something that really stands out.
The recipe I used for the fish also called for crispy shallots as a topping which added a nice touch both in texture and taste. For sides, I roasted some potatoes because I love roasted potatoes and tossed together a quick salad. So easy and so good.
Delightful Recipe
Serves 2
Adapted from Food Network
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 halibut fillets (each 4 to 5 ounces)
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
- 2 large shallots, cut into rounds, separated into rings
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- For the lemon butter: Put the lemon juice, salt, pepper, lemon zest and butter in a food processor until well blended (mixture will be like a thick sauce). Set aside until ready to use.
- For the halibut and crispy shallots: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and garlic in an 8-by-8-by-2-inch glass dish. Whisk the marinade to blend. Add the halibut and turn several times to coat evenly. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes.
- Combine the grapeseed oil and shallots in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the oil heats up and the shallots turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the shallots with a slotted spoon to several layers of paper towels to drain and crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper just before using.
- Heat a large dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lift the halibut from the marinade, letting the excess drain off. Add the halibut to the hot skillet and sear 3 minutes. Turn the fish over using a flexible metal spatula. Sear until still slightly pink in the center, about 3 minutes longer, depending on thickness. Transfer the halibut to plates. Top with a generous dollop of lemon-butter and pile the shallots alongside or scatter around the fish.Garnish with the lemon wedges and serve.
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