Halibut Steaks
By Cat, Oct 2012 (photo, right, from More-To-Door (2))
Perhaps my favorite white fish is cod, more specifically as lutefisk (traditional Scandinavian cured cod). But this basic recipe is also a favorite; it works well with cod, halibut or sole.
I like to flavor it with dill weed, but you can use other flavorful herbs/spices such as oregano, marjoram, basil, turmeric, allspice, etc..
Feb 2024: I’ve decided to try baked sole (another white fish). I’ve added the recipe below the cod or halibut recipe.
See also: 1. Fish & Seafood Menu
Basic Baked Cod or Halibut
I include milk as an optional ingredient in this recipe, because it absorbs the ‘fishy’ flavor so that the wonderful flavor of the sea stands out.. You don’t need much, just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan
When using a baking dish that doesn’t have a lid, I suggest covering the dish with parchment or waxed paper, then covering that with foil to hold it in place. I don’t like to put foil in direct contact with any food because the toxic aluminum in the foil is easily taken up by the food.
Ingredients and Equipment
- 4 – 6 oz cod or halibut filet per person
- Butter
- Unrefined sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Dill weed (or other herbs/spices), to taste
- Milk (optional)
- Sliced olives, whole capers, or cherry/grape tomatoes, halved (optional)
- fresh parsley or dill for garnish
- Equipment:
- Baking dish
- Lid for baking dish, or use parchment or waxed paper covered with aluminum foil
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter baking dish.
- Arrange fillets in baking dish and season with salt, pepper and dill weed, to taste.
- Optional: pour a bit of milk around the fish, less than 1/4″ deep.
- Optional: scatter some sliced olives, whole capers or small tomatoes (halved) over fish for a Mediterranean flavor.
- Cover with lid (or parchment/waxed paper covered with foil) and bake in oven until tender, about 20 minutes (may take longer if more than one filet, or for thick fillets). NOTE:
- For cod that has been frozen you can safely serve it after it reaches if 125 to 130 degrees (2);
- For fresh cod you might want to wait until 145 degrees Fahrenheit (2)
- Remove from oven. Place filet(s) on plate or serving platter and garnish with fresh sprigs of parsley or dill. Discard the milk to the compost pile.
- Serve!
Serving suggestions:
- Steamed potato and green peas (or creamed green peas) and cole slaw;
- Steamed rice (brown, white, wild, a mix, or Wild & Brown Rice Pilaf), braised asparagus and cole slaw.
- Steamed or roasted beet, or pickled (lacto-fermented) beets.
Baked Sole
Feb ’24: I bought some Petrale Sole fish to give it a try. Each piece is quite thin, so don’t need as long a baking time as for halibut. I’m using a recipe for “Baked Sole Fillet, the Mediterranean Way” (3) as a guide.
I’m just using one small, 7-oz Petrale sole fillet in two very thin pieces – less than ¼” thick each, for this test. If I like it, I will add a recipe for 2 – 4 fillets.
I note that I usually make it without the asparagus (tho I may add steamed asparagus as a side-dish).
Ingredients and Equipment
- about 7 oz of sole fillet in 2 very thin pieces – less than ¼” thick – (for one person)
- 1-2 tsp olive oil or butter
- ¼ lb fresh asparagus (medium-size stalks). optional
- Unrefined sea salt, and ground black pepper, to taste
- garlic, chopped fine (or use garlic powder)
- ¼ lemon, on the side (optional)
- Equipment
- long and narrow baking dish
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 375-400°F (the thinner the piece of sole, the lower the oven temperature). Butter shallow baking dish, or use olive oil. For this first test (very thin pieces), I will use 375°F oven, and olive oil in the baking dish.
- If using asparagus:
- prep asparagus spears: remove tough ends; cut each stalk into 2-3 long pieces (about same length as the sole fillet), if desired.
- Arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer in the prepared dish and season lightly with unrefined sea salt.
- Season fish fillet(s) on both sides with unrefined sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (and optional garlic powder, which I used for this test), and place them on top of the asparagus.
- Bake until the fillet(s) are beginning to flake at the tail ends (and if using asparagus until it is tender-crisp), about 5 – 7 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets.
- Serve with optional lemon.
Test Result
2/19/23: The fish was done (and delicious) after 7 min (in 375° oven), but the asparagus needed more time. So I moved the asparagus to a bowl in my steamer for about 4 min, and put the fish in the oven too keep it warm (I’d turned off the oven, but it is still fairly warm). Asparagus was done and fish is delicious!
4/16/23: I cut asparagus and green beans about ~2″ long, and braised them together about 6 min in a pan of water on stove-top. I cooked the fish separately in my small oven.
For fish, I used 1 small piece of sole, seasoned with unrefined sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dill weed. Spread small amount of olive oil in small baking dish (7″ long, 4″ wide and 1½” deep), and placed fish on top. Baked in preheated 375°F oven about 4 min (the fish is very thin).
Delicious, but have to watch out for small fish-bones, as you eat.
References:
- More-To-Door moretodoor.co. uk/shop/halibut-steaks (link removed and disguised because site contains malware)
- Re: best temp for cooked cod thermomeat.com/temperature-cod-done/
- themediterraneandish.com/baked-sole-fillet-mediterranean-way/
