I haven’t always been a fan of fish and seafood.
I also don’t pretend to be a fisher(wo)man, but when you’re in Alaska, you kind of have to become one.
When fish is as bountiful and delicious as it is up here (and when the rest of the goods in the grocery store are either a) not fresh or b) ridiculously overpriced), you can’t not embrace fishing.
It’s also a little hard (when the weather is good, anyways) to resist an afternoon on the water catching dinner and watching whales breach in the distance.
But, fish isn’t the easiest thing to cook.
Things can go from bad to worse fast.
It’s safe to say, we’ve all choked down a dry, overcooked fillet at least once in our lives and maybe that’s the reason so many of us scrunch our noses at fish.
Over the past few years, I’ve had a chance to perfect the art of pan-seared fish and test out countless marinades to settle on a few favorites.
The following recipe for honey lime halibut features a tangy – but not overpowering – marinade.
I also choose to cut the fish into one-inch strips before cooking, so the fish cooks evenly. I just loathe having overcooked, dry edges and an undercooked center. Blech!
I realize not everyone lives in an area where you can go out on your friend’s boat and reel in a few fifty pound halibut in a jiffy, so rest assured, you can use any white fish for this dish (such as cod or tilapia).
Hell, it’d even be good on chicken!
Honey Lime Halibut
- 2 lbs halibut, cut into 1-inch thick strips
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp mild chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Zest and juice of 2 organic limes
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil (for cooking)
Instructions
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Mix all marinade ingredients. Pour over fish and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Melt 2 tbsp coconut oil.
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Add fish in a single layer (do not overcrowd the pan!). Turn down heat to medium.
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Cook for 1-2 min or until fish begins to brown (it will start to turn opaque at the edges).
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Flip and cook for another minute, being careful not to overcook (plan for some carryover cooking).
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Serve.
Recipe Notes
NOTE: You can make an excellent cream sauce with the pan drippings. Simply pour in 1/4 c of heavy cream or coconut milk. Scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze any brown bits. Add a pinch of salt, if needed, and pour over your fish.
Serving Ideas for Honey Lime Halibut
As pictured, honey lime halibut pairs well with coleslaw and rice (either the “real” thing – or, cauliflower rice if you prefer a lower carb option).
Honey lime halibut is also a fantastic filling for fish tacos (opt for lettuce wraps if you eat low carb). Top with some fermented carrots with ginger and jalapeno for a little zing (and to aid digestion).
Have leftovers?
Make your coworkers jealous as you nosh on an entree salad with halibut on top. Reheated fish is gross, so serve it cold. And be sure to try one of my 8 flavorful homemade salad dressings.
Before you get your buns down to the fish market, I’d love to hear from you:
What’s your favorite way to prepare halibut or other fish?
If you like this recipe, tell me about it in the comments below
Until next week,
Lily
PS – If you accidentally overcook the fish, don’t waste it! Turn them into halibut cakes. Follow my recipe for wild Alaska salmon cakes and simply use halibut in its place. 🙂
I don’t like fish usually, but this looks delicious Lily!
Thanks for sharing, I’ll give this a go sometime 🙂
Andrew
I hope you do, Andrew!
I love a really well-cooked fish fillet with a creative marinade! It’s been a while since I’ve had halibut, but I absolutely love it! I bet salmon and cod would work wonderfully with this marinade too!
Yes Cassie, both cod and salmon are really tasty with this honey lime marinade (though I wouldn’t cut the salmon into strips like I do with bigger fish). 🙂
Can you use something to sub the jalapeno?
Simply omit it if you don’t like spicy.
I make this recipe about once a week! Thanks, Lily!