Easy method for pan-fried halibut seasoned with vanilla-spiced brown butter and served with blistered green beans. Delicious and satisfying low-carb dinner!
Pan frying halibut in butter requires a low, slow flame and constant attention. The final product is a tasty piece of heaven that is well worth the effort: perfect, silky, buttery, fragrant fish to delight the senses.
This halibut recipe is gratifying in that the spice blend works with the butter to enhance the flavor profile of the fish even further, imparting a perfume that allows you to “taste” the dish before you even have it in your mouth.
The combination of the butter and fresh vanilla is love at first bite. The lemon and coriander finish with a zing to bring it all together.
I like Alaskan halibut for its clean flavor and “meatiness,” but it can be pricey.
Feel free to substitute other fish that would better suit your budget, such as cod, monk, scrod, flounder, striped bass, grouper, snapper, salmon, etc.
Serving Suggestions
If you are cooking halibut fillets with the skin on, please make sure you score the skin and press the fillet, skin side down, when you put it in the pan to prevent the fillet from curling up.
Suggested spice/herb blend variations to try:
- coriander seed, ginger and turmeric.
- fennel seed, orange zest and fresh tarragon leaves.
- cardamom, garam masala & dill.
Enjoy with an unwooded chardonnay to bring out the butter and vanilla or a reliable New Zealand sauvignon blanc to enhance the lemon and coriander.
The key to this recipe’s success is low & slow!
Pan Fried Halibut in Spiced Butter with Blistered Beans
An easy pan fried halibut recipe seasoned with vanilla spiced brown butter and served with blistered green beans. Delicious and satisfying with no carbs.
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds halibut room temperature
- 9 Tbsp butter preferably grassfed
- 2 tsp spice blend
- 3 large handfuls green beans
- white peppercorns freshly cracked
- sea salt
Spice Blend (can be made ahead of time)
- 2 Tbsp coriander seeds toasted in a pan and then ground
- 2 lemons washed, zest only
- 2 tahitian vanilla beans scrape out pods
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients for the spice blend above and leave out on a paper towel to air dry all day. It will be ready for the halibut dinner in the late afternoon/evening!
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Season the halibut liberally with sea salt & cracked white pepper.
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On a low to medium flame, warm a sauté pan.
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Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan and melt.
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When butter stops foaming, add fish (scored skin side down and press if it has skin) to the pan.
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After a few minutes, tilt the pan toward you to collect butter and, using a large spoon, bathe the fish with the butter.
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Continue bathing until the fish turns translucent.
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Add 3 more tablespoons butter to pan and a 2 teaspoons of the spice blend and continue bathing fish until it is cooked through.
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Remove the fish and continue to brown the butter to achieve a nutty flavor.
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To prepare beans, heat a sauté pan over moderate to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil to the pan.
Add washed and cut beans and cook until they "jump." They will jump because they blister. Sauté beans until they are blistered on all sides, add sea salt and cracked pepper to finish.
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Spoon browned vanilla butter over the pan-fried halibut and serve with the blistered green beans.
More Healthy Seafood Recipes
Try these other healthy seafood dishes inspired by the wisdom of traditional diets:
- Seafood casserole
- Bruschetta recipe
- Mussels recipe cooked in garlic and parsley
Interesting. Now I wish I had a stove that could handle it. Glass-tops are just not made for those who ACTUALLY cook.
Too funny the ad that is showing up is for Lehman’s. I was just there Friday — amazing stuff. A whole room full of fermentation crocks!
I saw the selection of fats for HIGH heat and …. olive oil? I’m sure that can’t be right. Olive oil is delicate….only MEDIUM heat or lower is recommended.
The last line of the post says that the key to success is low and slow which would make this fine for using olive oil.
Sounded nice until the blistered part. That just sounds ouchie.
Guess what? I am addicted to your blog! You have been added so many good things to my life. We love you The Healthy Home Economist:) My eight month old daughter appreciates your yummy recipes:) I thought I have been eating healthy until I found about Weston Price. I had so much pain after my forced and medicated delivery, now I am feeling so much better. Raw milk saved my life, although everyone pointing finger at me for risking my daughter’s health because I am nursing:( I try to do as best as I can. Yes, healthy, organic food expensive but if you stop buying expensive coffee and chocolate, stop eating out, you will see you have so much money to buy organic. It takes a lot of effort but result so worth it. I want to ask for your opinion about food coloring. Before I knew the danger about food coloring, I was making decorated cookies and cakes. Now I am looking for healthy alternatives for people who still insists to buy them. I heard about India Tree that makes food coloring from vegetables.
I need a good, reliable source so I can use comfortably. Although blue is not actual blue, as long as its natural, I can use it. Do you have any other suggestions? Thank you for your time and effort.
You are welcome Sumeyye 🙂 Thank you for such kind words. 🙂
Thank you for a great recipe. I am anxious to try it. I am in awe of Emily’s cooking talents and follow her blog. Please continue to publish her recipes.
Enjoy! I’m making this for dinner on a Fri or Sat night very soon … its a keeper for sure!
Oh, and thank you SO much for the recipe!
I’m not even jolking: my stomach literally growled when I read the title of this post! And I just had a raw cream/milk, coconut oil, frozen banana, and raw egg yolk smoothie (or I guess you could call it a milk shake!) for breakfast.
Halibut in Vanilla Spiced Brown Butter with Blistered Beans – The Healthy Home Economist http://t.co/16LdYXdj