Halibut Pan-Seared Marinated Fillets

This recipe is adapted from New York Times Cooking/ James Beard’s Theory and Practice of Good Cooking and Alex Witchel who also adapted James Beard’s recipe.

I had tried to make garlic paste (toom) but it failed and ended up like an oily lemony juice. So I marinated the halibut in the failed toom mixture in a plastic bag and then sautéed the fish. It was fantastic. 

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves peeled and minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 halibut filets

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

In a large sealable plastic bag, combine 6 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt pepper and lemon juice. Add fish and seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil ,tilting pan to evenly spread. Warm over high heat until smoking, then add fish fillets. Brush top and sides with marinade. Cook until seared, about 3 minutes, turn and sear other side about 3 more minutes. Brush top and sides with marinade again.

Depending on the thickness, this should be done, cook until centers are just opaque. If not done, reduce heat, cover pan and cook for another 2 -4 minutes.

Garnish with parsley

Strawberry/Rhubarb/Blackberry Crisp with Pecan and Rolled Oats Topping

Strawberry/Rhubarb/Blackberry Crisp 

Ingredients

8 stalks rhubarb

12 Strawberries

12 Blackberries

1 Apple

4 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Topping

6 tablespoons chilled butter sliced

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup pecans

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Wash the rhubarb, strawberries halved and blackberries in a bowl.

Chop the rhubarb and place in a pan with 4 tablespoons white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Simmer covered till the rhubarb is really tender. There will be quite a bit of juice.

Spray a pyrex dish with Pam.

Place the strawberries and blackberries in the pyrex dish, halve, quarter, core and chop an apple, add to the dish. 

Pour the stewed rhubarb over the top of the fruit.

To make the topping, place 6 tablespoons sliced chilled butter in a food processor, add 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, pinch of salt and pulse for about 30 seconds till the mixture looks like small peas and is just beginning to clump together. Add 1/2 cup rolled oats and 1/2 cup pecans and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, pulse just a few times to combine.

Sprinkle topping over fruit and bake until golden and beginning to brown for 45-50 minutes.