Pan Fried Halibut with Lemon Parsley Asparagus
Serves 2
James my youngest son loves fish. He’ll eat any kind, but his favorite is wild Alaskan salmon. In 1998, before James was born, we actually lived in Alaska for 10 months on a Fulbright teacher exchange program. I swapped my job at Neath Port Talbot College, our house in Swansea, even our little white car to experience teaching in another country. California was the destination we were hoping for, but no culinary instructors from that part of the world applied to go to the UK that year. So, Alaska it was.
Believe it or not, we had amazing adventures and met new people who became life-long friends. On one occasion, I caught a fifty-pound king salmon on the Kenai River with one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, Jim Hollis. Twenty years on we are still best friends. He’s visited us in the UK, and our home in Charlotte North Carolina on more than one occasion. I’m sure my son James would love to have a chance to catch a king salmon. Instead, we shop together for fish or shellfish twice a week. James comes with me because he likes to see what’s available and try something new. This dish is one we made together at home the other night. We hope you enjoy it as much as James did. I think halibut has just moved up his list of favorite fish.
Ingredients:
2 6oz halibut fillets
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1 lemon, juice and zest of
How to make:
Season the halibut fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Place a medium size frying pan on the stove over a medium high heat. Add the oil, and allow it to get hot before placing the halibut fillets in the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Turn the fish over and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes. Check to make sure that the fish is cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan. Keep the fish warm. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Combine the parsley and lemon juice and zest. Cook with the asparagus for another minute.
Place the cooked asparagus on to two, warm dinner plates. Top with the halibut and spoon over the remaining parsley oil from the pan. Serve and enjoy.