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Pan-Seared Halibut with Sun-Dried Tomato Butter

Ultra crispy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside, our Pan-Seared Haliibut is an easy, impressive dinner that can be served any night of the week. We top the hot fish with a quick sun-dried tomato butter that slowly melts into the fish resulting in a flavor "sauce" with virtually no effort.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 342 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature and divided
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
  • 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the fish
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
  • 4 oz filets halibut
Acini di Pepe
  • 1 cup Acini di Pepe (you can also use israeli, barley, or orzo)
  • 1 cup basil, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Remove the fish from the fridge while you prepare the butter. Add tomatoes to a bowl with very hot water (all of them if you are makine the pasta). Let them sit for five minutes to plump up. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Add the tomatoes to a food processor and pulse until they’re almost the consistency of a paste. You can also do this with a knife, but the texture won’t be as fine. Add lemon zest, salt, and 1/4 cup of the butter. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a piece of plastic and roll back into a log of butter. Chill in the fridge while you sear the halibut. 
  3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet to a medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the olive oil. Swirl to coat the pan. 
  4. While pan heats, use a very sharp knife to remove the skin if you'd like. (We leave it on to keep the fish moist, but both sides will not get crispy.) Pat the halibut dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt. (Only season right before you lay the fish in the pan, otherwise the salt will bring more moisture to the top of the fish and it won't sear properly.)
  5. Add the fish to the pan (skin side up if there is skin on your fish). Don’t move it! Let the halibut sear for about 4 minutes until you see the bottom turn golden brown and crisp. Flip over and sear on the other side.
  6. Immediately upon flipping the fish over, add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the bottom of the pan. Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter on top of the halibut. After a minute, add 1/4 of the tomato butter on top of each filet of fish. Keep spooning the melted butter on top and around the fish. Do this for another 1-2 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Be careful you don't overcook, halibut will become tough and mushy if it's overcooked. Transfer the halibut to your serving platter or dish. Spoon the butter that’s left in the pan on and around the fish.
Acini di Pepe
  1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add the pasta. Cook until aldente. Drain. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 342kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 13g (4%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 33g (51%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 40mg (13%) Sodium 345mg (14%) Potassium 733mg (21%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 644IU (13%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 30mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 342

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 342kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 13g 4%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 33g 51%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 345mg 14%
Potassium 733mg 16%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 644IU 13%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 30mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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