Pan-Seared Halibut with Green Sauce

Kveite med grønnsaus

Halibut, otherwise known as kveite in Norwegian (or hellefisk in some of the more religious communities of southern Norway) has been tempting the palates of Norwegians for hundreds of years. While not as famous as the storied codfish, the Halibut is no less of a delicacy. Its mild and sweet flesh lends itself well to a variety of sauces and preparation methods. In this recipe, we will be serving the Halibut with a grønnsaus, similar to the French sauce verte.

“You most beautiful Halibut, you queen of the sea.”

— Petter Dass

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Pan-Seared Halibut w/ Green Sauce (Kveite med grønnsaus)

Yield: 4

Author: Robert Schumacher

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinInactive time: 20 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

One can almost taste the rugged coastline of Norway in this recipe where the freshness of the herbs meets the sweet and salty flesh of the Halibut.

Ingredients

Buttered Potatoes

• 3 quarts cold water
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 2 pounds baby potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, to garnish

Grønnsaus

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 12 ounces mixed kale and spinach (or just one or the other)
• 1/3 cup creme fraiche
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more, as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Halibut

• 4 skinless Halibut filets, approximately 6-8 ounces each
• kosher salt, as needed
• freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Buttered Potatoes

1. Fill a medium to large stock pot with cold water. Room temperature water is also fine. Add the salt to the water and quickly stir so that it dissolves in the water. The water should taste like the sea.
2. Add the potatoes to the pot of water. It is important to add them before the water is heated, as this will allow the outside and inside of the potatoes to heat evenly. Once the potatoes are added, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Once boiling, slightly reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer the potatoes until they are easily pierced by a fork, about 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Drain the potatoes in a large colander. Let them cool for approximately 5 minutes.
5. Place the potatoes into a serving bowl and toss together with butter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Grønnsaus

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter until it is completely melted and starts to bubble. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.
2. Toss the kale and spinach into the saucepan. Continue cooking until the greens have wilted, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Pour the heavy cream into the saucepan. Give it a good stir, then fold in the creme fraiche until smooth. Gently simmer for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper, adding more as needed.
4. In a large food processor, or blender, pulse the mixture until reaching the desired consistency. Leave covered to retain heat until fish is done cooking.

Halibut

1. Pat the Halibut filets completely dry with a paper towel. This step is incredibly important, as it allows for a proper sear on the fish, rather than the moisture being drawn out and boiling. Season the fish all over generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. After approximately 5 minutes, the skillet should be sizzling hot. Drizzle in the canola oil and heat until piping hot.
3. Place the Halibut filets in the skillet, laying them down away from your body to avoid splattering oil. Sear the fish for approximately 3 minutes on this first side.
4. With a fish spatula, carefully flip the Halibut filets then immediately add the butter and garlic clove to the skillet. Tilt the pan towards your body and continuously spoon the butter over the Halibut filets until they are cooked through, about an additional 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze the lemon over the Halibut filets.
5. Carefully, with the fish spatula, place the Halibut filets atop a bed of grønnsaus. Serve immediately with buttered potatoes on the side.

Notes

One can use any type of neutral oil when pan-searing the fish, however the Norwegians traditionally prefer canola, or rapeseed, oil.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

823.24

Fat

53.03 g

Sat. Fat

27.64 g

Carbs

48.96 g

Fiber

9.16 g

Net carbs

39.78 g

Sugar

5.71 g

Protein

41.47 g

Sodium

15012.44 mg

Cholesterol

207 mg

All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.

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halibut, green sauce, grønnsaus, kveite, hellefisk, Norway, Norwegian recipes, Norwegian Halibut, Norwegian Fish

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