Halibut with Citrus Butter Sauce
Halibut has a meaty texture that lends itself to many different preparations. It is so tender and delicious though, I usually prefer simply searing it, then baking it until just barely cooked through. I like to add a simple sauce to enhance the flavor of this fish rather than overpower it.
This sauce is a simple butter sauce that I flavor with citrus, very similar to a French Beurre Blanc sauce. Good substitutions for halibut would be sea bass or mahi mahi, or grouper. The halibut is shown served on a bed of sauteed spinach.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Halibut with Citrus Butter Sauce
Yield:
Serves 4
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
This rich citrus butter sauce pairs beautifully with halibut.
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Halibut
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
For The Sauce:
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Orange
- 1 Shallot Finely Minced
- 3/4 Cup White Wine
- 1 Stick (125 gm) Unsalted Butter, Softened
To Serve:
- Sauteed Spinach
Instructions
- Squeeze the juice from both the orange and the lemon into a small saucepan, being careful not to drop any seeds into the juice, and cook over medium heat until the juice is reduced to about ¼ and is thickened, then set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat the oil and butter in a heavy, ovenproof pan on top of the stove until sizzling.
- Season the sea bass with salt and pepper, and sear it on both sides in the hot oil until lightly browned.
- Place the fish into the hot oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork, but remains moist inside.
- While the fish is cooking, heat a tablespoon or so of the butter into a saucepan, and cook the shallots over medium heat until translucent.
- Add the wine, turn the heat up to high, and cook until you have reduced it to about ¼ cup of liquid left in the pan.
- Turn the heat down to medium low.
- With a whisk, slowly beat in a little butter at a time, adding more as it becomes emulsified and thickened.
- Continue adding the butter until you have a nice, thickened sauce.
- Add the citrus reduction and mix well.
- To serve, create a bed of spinach in the center of a plate.
- Place a piece of sea bass on top of the spinach, and then spoon a little of the citrus butter sauce on top.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1/2 poundAmount Per Serving: Calories: 629Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 426mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 54g
