Wild Pacific Halibut is Glorious Right Now
Halibut season is here, and the halibut boats are coming in. It’s Wild Pacific Halibut you are looking for to remain Ocean Wise and tasty. These fish can get to eight feet and in Latin are called Hippoglossus, translating to “hippo of the sea”. Our favourite supplier is Organic Ocean which supplies to top restaurants in Vancouver and uses hook and line techniques, harvesting off the west coast of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii where young halibut are found (older fish are in the deeper waters). Halibut is featured at the upcoming BC Seafood Festival along with oysters, sablefish, geoduck, clams and seaweed.
The lean white meat Wild Pacific Halibut is high in protein and low in sodium, fat, and calories, and with a minimum of bones, halibut as whole fish, fillets or portions adapt well to baking, broiling, frying, poaching, or barbecuing.
This post was originally from 2012 and was updated for 2022. Who was cooking up Halibut then?
Thought it would be fun to leave this in. Interesting that only two restaurants from this list remain. You can find Ned Bell now at the Naramata Inn. Kris Kabush is in Mexico at Taba Cabo and Taba BBQ and Chef Chris Whitaker is at the Quaaquot Lodge in the Shuswap.
Dishes from Spring 2012
Chef Ned Bell at Yew Restaurant at Four Seasons Vancouver pan-roasted up a piece for me on Tuesday and served it atop spinach and a wild mushroom medley with herb coulis.
Chef Kris Kabush at Burnaby’s Hart House is pan-roasting halibut with crushed potatoes, braised leeks, and warm chickpea salad.
Chef Brian Fowke at Kits Daily Kitchen buys the whole halibut and switches up the recipes daily
Chef Chris Whitaker at O’Doul’s Restaurant on Robson is serving beautiful halibut with Dungeness crab & mascarpone risotto and preserved lemon
Blue Canoe in Steveston is herb dusted with its halibut and wrapping it in phyllo served with citrus butter.
At home, you can simply pan or oven roast and pick up some of an amazing pesto from LeGrand (available on Spud.ca), as is Wild Pacific Halibut, and top the fish with a dollop or two. Serve with rice and some quickly stir-fried veggies with a touch of pesto or a salad with the pesto added to a bit of oil and vinegar as a dressing.
Halibut Cheeks
@freshideasstarthere @wildpacifichalibut @eatdrinkbuybc
6 to 8 cheeks
Marinade
2 minced cloves of garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
2 finely chopped green onion
2 star anise pods
2 tsp miso paste
¼ cup soya sauce
2 tbsp boiling water
Mix together and marinade fish overnight.
Remove and heat 2 tbsp Olive oil in a cast iron or non-stick pan. Depending on the thickness of the cheeks cook on medium for 4-5 minutes per side.
I served with roasted veggies sprinkled with a similar seasoning as the marinade and rice.
More recipes in this cookbook from 2012, which are still very tasty! 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking – 500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness (Camilla V. Saulsbury). Halibut with Beet and Beat Greens (available at Vancouver Farmers Markets right now – pg 352) and Halibut with Coconut Lime Sauce (pg. 353). Also, try the Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa (pg 366)
Grilled Halibut Tacos with Mango Salsa (page 366)
• Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high
Salsa
1 cup chopped fresh or thawed frozen mango
1⁄2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1⁄2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves chopped
1⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion
1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 15 mL
Tacos
1 tsp ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp chili powder
1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 15 mL
2 tsp vegetable oil 10 mL
4 wild halibut fillets (each about 6 oz/175 g)
4 8-inch (20 cm) whole wheat tortillas, 4 warmed
2 cups shredded purple or green cabbage 500 mL
1. Salsa: In a small bowl, combine mango, red pepper, cilantro, red onion, salt and lime juice.
2. Tacos: In a small cup, whisk together cumin, chili powder, salt, lime juice and oil. Brush on both sides of fish, coating evenly.
3. Grill fish on the preheated barbecue, turning once, for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until fish is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork. Flake fish into small pieces.
4. Fill warmed tortillas with fish, cabbage, and salsa.
