Pan-Roasted Halibut

The first savory recipe on the bloggle is dyn-o-mite. I love fish of all kinds, but halibut is right up there as one of my favorites. Especially this time of year, when the fish rolls in wild and fresh from Alaska. This is a quick, easy way to serve thick halibut fillets or steaks that really shows off the flavor and texture of the fish. All it needs is a quick squirt of fresh lemon juice (don't use the stuff in the fridge, you'll be so sorry) and a dash of salt and pepper and you'll be the happiest camper.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated.

Special equipment: an oven-safe pan (I use my 10" cast iron skillet for this, and pretty much everything else)

Olive oil

Halibut steaks or fillets, between 1 and 1 1/2" thick **cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the fish, about 30 seconds plus/minus per 1/4" of flesh. 

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

While the oven is heating up, rub both sides of the halibut generously with olive oil, about a tablespoon of oil per serving of fish. Start your oven-safe pan heating on the stovetop on medium-high heat. You can put a little oil in the pan to test the temperature: when it just starts to smoke, the pan is hot enough. Carefully place the halibut in the pan, skin side up (if it has skin). Allow it to cook undisturbed until spotty brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully flip the fish with a thin metal spatula. 

Place the pan in the center rack of the oven. If you have a thermometer, it should read 140 degrees F when the fish is done. If you're eyeballing it (my preferred method), it should be opaque, just starting to separate, and flake easily with a fork. This should take about 9 minutes. Pull the pan from the oven, remove fish from the pan with a thin metal spatula, and serve immediately.