Healthy and easy pan seared halibut fillets in a lemon garlic white wine sauce, with heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
A riff on my garlic chicken in white wine sauce, only this is done in 15 minutes, on the stovetop in my cast iron skillet.
Goes well with steamed asparagus, capellini noodles, over a smooth green pea puree or a creamy saffron risotto.
It is very important to bring the fish to room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking it in a seasoned cast iron skillet, so it won’t stick.
Don’t walk away from the pan!
Fish cooks super fast so watch it like a hawk. A couple of minutes max on each side is all it needs. Make sure to remove it from the pan while still a little opaque in the center.
Then in the same pan, we make a quick sauce with garlic and juicy tomatoes, a crisp white wine and lots of zesty lemon.
You could also use the same recipe to make this dish with cod, shrimp, lobster tails, clams, mussels or scallops.
Pan Seared Halibut in Garlic White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 x 6 oz halibut or cod fish fillets
- 1/2 lb heirloom cherry tomatoes( halved or sliced)
- 1/3 c dry white wine
- 4-5 cloves garlic (grated)
- 1 lemon
- 2 pinches sea salt or to taste
- black pepper to taste (freshly cracked)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c fresh basil leaves (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Bring the fish to room temperature for 20 minutes and pat dry all over with paper towels.
- Season well on both sides with a good pinch of sea salt and the freshly cracked black pepper.
- Heat up one tablespoon of the olive oil in a cast iron skillet on medium flame.
- Gently place the fish in the pan and sear for about 2 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Use a spatula to carefully flip them without breaking. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Make the Garlic White Wine Sauce
- Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and stir in the grated garlic. cook for about 15 seconds taking good care not to let it burn. Stir in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt then hit it with the white wine.
- Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes until the tomatoes burst and release their juices.
- Transfer the cooked fish back into the pan and just heat through for another minute or so.
- Remove from heat and hit it with a good squeeze of lemon juice.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and garnished with the fresh basil.
Nutrition
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