Halibut Over Wilted Escarole

Jenny is in perpetual search for easy, weeknight recipes to attempt to feed her family. When they balk, she just eats more.

I don’t have a lot of expensive habits -- I forget to cut my hair for months on end, and I buy half my shirts at Target -- but I do love me some halibut. 

As I stand at the fish monger’s truck at the farmer’s market counting out my ten spots for some of this silky white happy-maker, I feel the slightest twinkle of guilt. But since I fill in most weeks with lower-priced salmon and cod, I allow myself a monthly indulgence. 

There are as many ways to cook halibut as there are stars in the sky I suppose, but I was pretty enamored with Halibut Over Wilted Escarole, which I made the other day to great fanfare at home.

My eyebrows did do some popping when I saw how much halibut the author called for, even for one person. An ounce? Seriously? You can’t expect me to play crew on that paltry sum, lady! 

So anyway, I don’t play crew. I don’t really even know what it is. But my teenager says she is going to do it, and I think she needs to eat more fish, which is not really a linear thought, but work with me. The takeaway is: I bought a pound of fish and doubled the rest of the ingredients, except for the shallot which I tripled, to serve my family of four. (Two smallish eaters and two bigger ones.) 

The most important thing I can tell you is not to make this in a cast iron pan, unless you want to spend the better part of the rest of your week scrubbing and cursing. Yes you should definitely use escarole and not substitute. To save time, wash up your greens while your garlic and shallots cook, then add when ready with the orange zest. 

I would let your wine cook for a minute before adding the fish. Watch this carefully less for fish overcooking, though you don’t want that either, but to make sure things do not stick to the pan, in which case you should add a bit more wine. Cook a bit of Israeli cous cous for the side if you’re feeling it. 

Halibut Over Wilted Escarole by joannE.

Serves 1

1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 teaspoon Fresh Dill, Chopped
8 ounces Escarole (Approx 1/2 of a Large Head)
1 Medium Shallot
1 Clove Garlic
1 Small Halibut Filet
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Zest from 1 Orange
1/4 cup White Wine
1 Lemon Wedge (1/8 Whole Lemon)

See the full recipe (and save it and print it) here.

 

 

 

Photo by James Ransom