Halibut With Saffron Lemon Butter Recipes

PAN SEARED HALIBUT RECIPE WITH LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Use paper towels to pat the halibut fillets completely dry - this will ensure even browning. Season the fish on both sides with garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
• Add the fish fillets in a single layer (you can do it in batches if all the fish won't fit in a single layer). Sear, without moving, for 3-4 minutes, until the edges of the fish are opaque. Flip and cook for 2-4 minutes, until cooked through.
• Remove the fish from the pan and cover tightly with foil to keep warm.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the same pan. Wait for it to melt, then heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browned and smells nutty.TIP: If you like garlic, you can also use this lemon butter sauce recipe.
• Use the Zulay Kitchen Lemon Squeezer to squeeze all the juice from both halves of the lemon into the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer for about 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until volume is reduced by half. The lemon butter sauce will still be thin.
• Drizzle a little lemon butter sauce over each serving plate. Place the pan seared halibut fillets over the sauce, then drizzle more sauce on top.

ROASTED HALIBUT WITH SAFFRON-FENNEL BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine 1 tablespoon butter and the saffron in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter melts, about 1 minute. Let cool 5 minutes. Place the remaining butter and the fennel seeds in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the melted saffron butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and continue pulsing until the butter is bright yellow. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch log; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. (The saffron butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the sliced fennel, garlic, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons water in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the tomatoes over the fennel. Set the halibut on top of the vegetables; drizzle with the juice of the remaining 1/2 lemon and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake, uncovered, until the halibut is firm and no longer translucent, about 12 minutes; remove from the oven and top each piece with a thin slice of saffron butter. Return the halibut to the oven and bake until the butter just begins to melt, about 2 more minutes. Serve with fennel fronds.

ROASTED HALIBUT WITH MUSSEL BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine kelp with 4 cups of cool water and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of the kelp water.
• On a lightly greased rimmed sheet pan, arrange half of the softened kelp in the center, allowing excess water to drip off kelp and slightly overlapping the pieces. (Do not squeeze water out of the kelp). Rub halibut with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt. Set halibut in the center of the kelp and lift kelp over the sides of the fish. It should stick to the fish. Top halibut with the remaining kelp, slightly overlapping, and tuck the kelp loosely underneath the fish to enclose it.
• Roast halibut until just opaque in the center, about 15 minutes. A metal cake tester or skewer inserted in the center of the fish should feel warm to the touch. Transfer wrapped halibut to a serving platter.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine clam juice and the reserved kelp water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open, 2 to 3 minutes; begin checking mussels at 2 minutes and transfer them to a bowl as they open (discard any that do not open). Tent with foil to keep warm. Pour mussel broth into a separate bowl, leaving behind any grit in the pot, and reserve the broth. Rinse out pot to remove any grit.
• Combine 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with the saffron in a small bowl and mix well. In the rinsed pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved mussel broth (and any juice that has drained from the mussels) and saffron-lemon juice, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently to allow flavors to meld, about 5 minutes. Discard garlic.
• While whisking constantly, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending in each addition before adding the next. Then, whisk in heavy cream. Gently simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, parsley and tarragon, and season with salt. You should have about 2 cups of sauce.
• Remove the top layer of kelp to reveal halibut. You can serve the kelp to eat with the fish or discard it. Arrange mussels around halibut, removing the top shells for easier eating if you'd like. Spoon some sauce over the mussels and fish, and garnish with parsley and tarragon.
• To serve, divide the fish and mussels among plates. Garnish with more parsley and tarragon. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

HALIBUT FILLETS WITH CREAMY SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk yogurt together with salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper or cayenne, and shallot. Rub saffron between your fingers to crush it, then stir it into yogurt mixture. Let sit for about 20 minutes (or covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours). Just before serving, add juice, taste, and adjust seasoning.
• Sprinkle halibut with salt and Aleppo pepper or cayenne. Put butter in nonstick skillet large enough to hold halibut, and turn heat to medium. When the butter melts, add fish, and cook gently, turning once or twice, until a thin bladed knife meets little resistance when inserted into the thickest part, generally less than 10 minutes.
• Serve fish hot, warm, or at room temperature, with the sauce spooned over it.

SAFFRON HALIBUT PACKETS

Steps:

• For the tea: Add the saffron threads to the white wine, and let the flavors steep for 10 minutes.
• For the packets: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the fillets onto a plate, and stain each one with a few steeped saffron threads from the tea, and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
• In a medium saute pan, pour in the remaining saffron tea, capers, carrots, orange zest, orange juice, and white wine. Bring the ingredients up to a simmer, and cook until the carrots are slightly tender, approximately 2 minutes. Stir in the butter, and season with salt, to taste, and remove the pan from the heat.
• Tear off 4 pieces of foil or parchment paper large enough to wrap up each fish fillet and vegetables (not too tight.)
• Place the whole green onion pieces in the center of the parchment. Lay a bed of carrot mixture over the whole green onions. Season the halibut with salt, and pepper, to taste, and place the fillets over the carrot mixture. Spoon the remaining sauce, and carrots over the fish, and fold up the parchment edges (not too tight), creating a sealed packet.
• Set the packets on a sheet tray, and bake until the fish is just cooked through, approximately 10 minutes.
• Once cooked, open the packets, and garnish the halibut with the green onion slivers.
• In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat, add the green onion whites, and garlic, and sweat until tender. Add in the saffron threads, and stir.
• Stir in the rice, ensuring the grains are well coated with the saffron-butter mixture.
• Pour in the water, and stir to combine.
• Bring the cooking liquid to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Cook the rice until the rice is fully cooked, about 25 minutes.
• Season the rice with salt, to taste.

HALIBUT WITH LEMON-BUTTER AND CRISPY SHALLOTS

Steps:

• For the lemon butter: Whisk together the lemon juice, salt, pepper, lemon zest and butter in a deep medium bowl until well blended (mixture will be like a thick sauce). Set aside until ready to use.
• For the halibut and crispy shallots: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and garlic in an 8-by-8-by-2-inch glass dish. Whisk the marinade to blend. Add the halibut and turn several times to coat evenly. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes.
• Combine the grapeseed oil and shallots in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the oil heats up and the shallots turn golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the shallots with a slotted spoon to several layers of paper towels to drain and crisp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper just before using.
• Heat a large dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lift the halibut from the marinade, letting the excess drain off. Add the halibut to the hot skillet and sear 3 minutes. Turn the fish over using a flexible metal spatula. Sear until still slightly pink in the center, about 3 minutes longer, depending on thickness. Transfer the halibut to plates. Top with a generous dollop of lemon-butter and pile the shallots alongside or scatter around the fish. Garnish with the lemon wedges and serve.

SAFFRON LEMON BRANZINO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F with a rack in the middle position. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
• Place the saffron and ice in a small bowl and set aside at room temperature until the ice melts. This will be your saffron water.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 5 or 6 slits, 1 inch apart, through the skin and flesh of each fish on one side. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 minute more.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the parsley, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the saffron water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set the onion filling aside.
• Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining lemon juice and the remaining saffron water in a small bowl. Brush the insides of the fish with some of this saffron-lemon mixture, then stuff the cavities with the onion filling. Seal the cavities shut using 3 toothpicks along each open edge. Brush the top of the fish with some of the saffron and lemon mixture, then transfer the fish to the prepared sheet pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Brush the top of the fish with some of the saffron mixture, then bake until cooked through and the flesh flakes easily, about 15 minutes more (see Cook's Note). Remove the sheet pan from the oven and turn on the broiler.
• Brush the top of the fish with more of the saffron lemon mixture, then broil until the skin is golden and somewhat crispy, 3 to 5 minutes; keep a close eye to make sure the tops don't burn. Remove the toothpicks and serve with sabzi polo (see Cook's Note).

HALIBUT WITH HERBED BUTTER

Steps:

• For the herb butter, in a medium bowl, combine the butter, garlic, chopped herbs, and lemon zest plus salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a small saucepan.
• Heat the olive oil in a grill pan over high heat. Sprinkle the halibut generously on both sides with salt and pepper. When the grill pan is hot, place the fish on the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes on one side.
• Meanwhile, heat the herb butter just until melted.
• Turn the fish, lower the heat to medium, and pour the melted herb butter over the fish. Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 3 minutes.
• To serve, place the fish on a serving platter, spoon the herb butter over the fish, sprinkle with extra parsley, and serve hot.

PAN SEARED HALIBUT RECIPE WITH LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Use paper towels to pat the halibut fillets completely dry - this will ensure even browning. Season the fish on both sides with garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
• Add the fish fillets in a single layer (you can do it in batches if all the fish won't fit in a single layer). Sear, without moving, for 3-4 minutes, until the edges of the fish are opaque. Flip and cook for 2-4 minutes, until cooked through.
• Remove the fish from the pan and cover tightly with foil to keep warm.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the same pan. Wait for it to melt, then heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter is browned and smells nutty.
• Squeeze all the juice from both halves of the lemon into the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer for about 3-4 minutes stirring often, until volume is reduced by half. The lemon butter sauce will still be thin.
• Drizzle a little lemon butter sauce over each serving plate. Place the pan seared halibut fillets over the sauce, then drizzle more sauce on top.

HALIBUT WITH BROWN BUTTER, LEMON AND SAGE

Steps:

• Season fish on both sides with plenty of salt and pepper.
• Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron or nonstick) and set over medium-high heat. When oil is hot (but not smoking), swirl to evenly coat the pan, then add fish in a single layer. Let cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until first side is nicely browned. Adjust the heat as needed to produce a steady sizzle and prevent scorching.
• Flip and cook fish for about another 3 minutes, until just done. (To test for doneness, use a fork to gently probe the flesh: it should flake easily.) Transfer cooked fish to a warm platter or serving plates.
• Make the sauce: Place skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add butter and sage leaves. Cook butter, swirling the pan, until foamy and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice.
• Spoon butter sauce and sage leaves over fish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parsley. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

BROILED HALIBUT WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Wipe the halibut steaks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with lime or lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside. Mix the saffron with the wine and set aside.
• In a large skillet, soften the shallots, garlic and jalapena pepper in the butter. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are opaque. Pour in the saffron wine mixture and bring to boil, stirring.
• Turn down heat and add a cup of stock or water. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally. As the liquid evaporates, add more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue adding liquid and stirring for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is al dente. The liquid should be absorbed; the rice should be creamy.
• While the rice is cooking, broil the halibut steaks. If they are done before the rice, keep warm.
• Add the cream to the rice, stir thoroughly over low heat and correct seasoning. Place half a halibut steak on each plate, plus a serving of rice. Sprinkle with chives and serve.