Quick Halibut in Lemon Cream & White Wine Sauce

This original recipe is for our new section “30 Minute Meals.” While we have the luxury of time today, we didn’t always, so we know how hard it is to get a meal on the table that’s healthy and delicious after a long day of work. Good pre-cut pieces of halibut can be found in the frozen section of your local grocery store. With a bit of planning, the rest of the ingredients can be ready to go, for a perfect dinner in under 30 minutes.

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The prep is minimal, completed in about 15 minutes. Start with chopping, slicing and juicing.

Pepper and lightly salt the fish.

The key to the fish not sticking to the pan is to heat to pan until very hot before adding the halibut. We love our Hestan NanoBond® Skillet.

The fish will start to release it’s juices when it’s ready to turn. Give the pan a little shake to test the readiness.

Perfectly seared! It takes more patience than you’d think to not turn too soon. Overall, each side should only take 3-4 minutes. After the fish is well seared and firm to the touch with the back of a spatula, it’s ready to remove. Set aside in a dish while making the sauce.

After removing the halibut, use the same pan to make the sauce. Start with melting the butter.

Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and wine, scraping up any brown bits. Let the wine reduce by half over a simmer. Next add the cream and incorporate into all. Bring back to a boil, stirring constantly.

The last ingredients to add are the lemon juice along with salt and pepper. Give it a little taste and correct with salt and pepper, as needed.

All in Under 30 Minutes

Add the fish back to the sauce to rewarm a bit. Note: we love a lot of sauce. This recipe is for 4 pieces of fish and we only used 2 on this night. The sauce is great over rice or served the next day over baked or grilled chicken or even veggies.

Serve at once, topped with parsley and lemon slices.

Yield: 4

Author: Jennifer Hipskind

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Halibut in Lemon Cream and White Wine Sauce

Seared Halibut in Elegant Lemon Cream and White Wine Sauce. The best part, it's so quick and easy to make!

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 halibut fillets
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 small shallot, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the halibut fillets dry with paper towels.
2. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the halibut fillets and sear for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the fish is cooked through and easily flakes with a fork.
5. Remove the halibut from the skillet, set aside and keep warm.
6. In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
7. Add shallots and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.
8. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned.
9. Pour in the white wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the wine to reduce by half.
10. Stir in the heavy cream, stirring constantly. Allow the cream to heat through but not boil.
11. Stir in fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
12. To serve, place the seared halibut fillets on plates and pour the lemon butter sauce over the halibut.
13. Garnish with lemon slice and chopped fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy!