Halibut With Brown Butter, Lemon and Sage
Published October 17, 2017
Karsten Moran for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
About 1 ½ pounds halibut fillets (or other firm white-fleshed fish), cut into 4 pieces
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 to 15 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup coarse homemade bread crumbs, toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Lemon wedges, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
8 grams carbs; 114 milligrams cholesterol; 358 calories; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 496 milligrams sodium; 33 grams protein; 1 gram sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Season fish on both sides with plenty of salt and pepper.
- Step 2
Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron or nonstick) and set over medium-high heat. When oil is hot (but not smoking), swirl to evenly coat the pan, then add fish in a single layer. Let cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until first side is nicely browned. Adjust the heat as needed to produce a steady sizzle and prevent scorching.
- Step 3
Flip and cook fish for about another 3 minutes, until just done. (To test for doneness, use a fork to gently probe the flesh: it should flake easily.) Transfer cooked fish to a warm platter or serving plates.
- Step 4
Make the sauce: Place skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add butter and sage leaves. Cook butter, swirling the pan, until foamy and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice.
- Step 5
Spoon butter sauce and sage leaves over fish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parsley. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.
Private Notes
Comments
If you want to get a nice brown crust on your fish, be sure to dry it on both sides with a paper towel. Some cooks even use a light dusting of Wondra, a very fine flour to help absorb any moisture that would otherwise steam the fish instead of searing.
Yes! I do this too - and get the fish closer to room temperature - right out of the fridge the cold fish sticks to the hot pan.
Capers.
Great recipe! Cooked Lingcod using this recipe and the timing was perfect, even for a thick piece of fish! Echoing comment to make sure the fish is dry - I patted it down a few hours before cooking and wrapped in paper towels before putting back into the fridge until I was ready to cook.
Wonderful, I cooked on med high 5 minutes on one side until golden brown then turned it, put the lid on and heat to medium, another 6 minutes for a pretty thick Halibut steak. The sage was aromatic and tasted great with the butter.
Cooked the recipe as written. Absolutely delicious. However, it did make a terrible mess with lots of splattering. Maybe next time I will roast in oven.