Halibut with Coconut Curry Sauce

My sister came and spent the weekend with us.  She was helping celebrate my motherhood and kindly offered to make me dinner.  This was a nice change for me since I make two or three different dinners every night to the tune of tears, scrunchie faces, whining or occassionally all three.  The dish Tiffany prepared was delightful.  She confided that she borrowed it from a well known friend chef Ellie Krieger.

This recipe below is a spin off.  I like the taste of tomatoes with curry sauce so I have added them here.  As she suggests, you can make this recipe lighter by using Lite coconut milk, sodium free broth, etc. which is okaaay, but my version tastes better!

Halibut with Coconut Curry Sauce

Sauce:

2 t. Olive Oil
3 Shallots, finely chopped

2 t. Red Curry Paste

2 C. Chicken Broth

7 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 C. Coconut Milk

1 t. Salt, divided. Halibut:                                         

(6-ounce) halibut fillets, skin removed

Last Minute Ingredients:
1/2 C. chopped fresh cilantro

2 scallions
2 T. lime juice

Freshly ground pepper

Preparing the sauce:  Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add oil.  When temperature is up, toss in the shallots and cook until they begin to brown, stirring often.  This usually takes about 5 minutes.  Stir in curry paste, tomatoes, chicken broth, coconut milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt and simmer about 5 minutes until reduced and thick.  Set aside until Halibut is done cooking.

Preparing the halibut:  Season the halibut with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange the fish in the same pan as the Coconut Curry. Cover and steam cook until the fish is done cooking about 7 minutes depending on the thickness of the halibut steak.

To Serve: Arrange a pile of steamed spinach* in the bottom of plate. Place cooked halibut on top of spinach. Stir the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into the Coconut Curry sauce and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the top of the fish.  Serve along side rice; jasmine, basmati, your choice.

* To steam spinach (this is so easy!), using a corning ware dish with a lid.  Place the cleaned spinach in the dish, put the top on and place in the microwave for two minutes.  Using tongs, remove from dish to plates as indicated above.

Environmental Pictures Courtesy Jolene Hansen, 2009.