This flavorful, one pot recipe features a wild-caught Alaskan halibut cooked in a Thai-style coconut curry broth. The end result is a delicate fish in a rich, tasty broth!
Disclosure: This recipe is sponsored by The Fish Market, an infamous California restaurant and fishery that prides themselves on sourcing only the very best. They sourced and supplied the wild-caught Alaskan halibut featured in this recipe. Thank you for supporting the brands and companies that make The Bottomless Pit possible!
Much like my Salmon in a Creamy Tuscan Orzo, this recipe features premier fish cooked at restaurant standards from the comfort of home! Alaskan halibut is the very best of the best, and the quality shines through in this dish. This white fish is mild in flavor, retains moisture beautifully, and is a great beginner fish!
Wild-Caught Alaskan Halibut
As a flatfish, halibut is a part of the flounder family. Halibut is native to the North Pacific Ocean from the coasts of California up to Alaska, but it also found in the Atlantic, specifically Greenland. However, Pacific halibut have a sweeter, more mild flavor compared to Atlantic halibut. Halibuts can range from 40 pounds to 400 pounds, with the sweet spot being around 60-80 pounds.
The Fish Market takes advantage of wild-caught halibut season each spring and ensures they're supplying their customers with the very best option. Wild-caught halibut is the preferred option over farm-raised because the fish is typically bigger. As well, wild-caught halibut is a more sustainable fishing process; which, is something that's very important to the Fish Market!
Wild-caught, fresh Alaskan halibut reigns superior to that of California halibut because of its size. Alaskan halibut is larger and has more meat; which, makes it less prone to drying out in the cooking process. Furthermore, because of its short season and premier quality, Alaskan halibut is consistently in high demand.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- One-Pot Recipe: It doesn't get any easier than a one pot recipe! Not only does it make clean up a breeze, but it also allows us to build up flavor throughout the recipe.
- Flavorful Broth: This broth is made primarily from coconut milk and red curry paste but also utilizes shallots, garlic, ginger, and green onion. The final result is a rich, flavorful broth that's perfect to cook the fish in!
- Light Fish: Many people prefer Alaskan halibut to other fish because of its light flavor and approachability. Because this fish is so moist, it's very forgiving for beginner cooks trying out fish for the first time.
- Allergen-Friendly: Of course, this recipe is gluten-free but it's also dairy-free! The use of coconut milk keeps this dish light and free of dairy.
Ingredients
There's a number of ingredients used to create this recipe. Not only does this dish yield perfectly cooked, flavorful Alaskan halibut but it also features a side of tamari glazed baby bok choy. The bok choy compliments the fish beautifully and assists in building up the flavor profile of the coconut curry broth.
- Alaskan Halibut: As the most important and star ingredient of this recipe, there's only one fishery I rely on for the highest quality. The Fish Market in San Diego guarantees every customer receives premier fish from a knowledgable expert. With them, I know I'm getting the best selection of fish in the world.
- Coconut Milk: This dairy-free ingredient has creamy, thick consistency and slightly sweet flavor that plays a large role in the creation of the coconut curry broth.
- Vegetable Broth: This broth helps to soften and cook down the bok choy, as well as add volume to the coconut curry broth.
- Limes: The zest from this vibrant fruit adds the perfect amount of tanginess to the broth.
- Tamari: This gluten-free alternative to soy sauce is used to flavor the bok choy.
- Red Curry Paste: A little bit goes a long ways here! This rich paste is a staple in our broth and provides it with its signature color.
- Garlic & Shallots: These vegetables serve as the base for both the broth and bok choy.
- Baby Bok Choy: This Chinese cabbage has a mild, fresh flavor with stalks that have a celery-like crunch. This vegetable is easy to cook and tastes great in Asian inspired recipes, like my Air Fryer Orange Tofu.
- Sesame Seeds & Red Pepper Flakes: These seasonings are utilized for the bok choy.
- Ginger Paste: This is used to flavor the bok choy alongside the tamari.
- Green Onions: Used both in the broth and as a topping, this vegetable compliments the shallots and brings those flavors to the forefront.
- Salt & Pepper: The only two seasonings necessary to season the halibut!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements!
Substitutions & Variations
Whether you're missing a few of the above ingredients, or just looking for simple modifications, these tips below can help you adjust the recipe!
- Enhance the Flavor: Instead of utilizing vegetable broth, opt for seafood stock. Seafood stock will enhance the natural flavors of the halibut and, in turn, produce a more seafood forward dish.
- Instead of Bok Choy: If you're not a fan of bok choy, you can utilize spinach instead. You'll need roughly four cups of fresh spinach in place of the bok choy. The end result will be a steamed, seasoned side of spinach.
- Red Curry Alternatives: Different curries have different flavors. You can swap the red curry paste for yellow or green curry paste, depending on your preference.
- Make it Spicy: If you're a fan of spice, try adding red pepper flakes to the broth or even a pinch of cayenne pepper. Feel free to also add in Thai chilis to the dish!
- Swap Ginger: Ginger has an earthiness spice to it that people either love or hate. If you're the latter, try lemongrass paste instead. Lemongrass has a slightly sweet, citrus taste that compliments the curry paste.
- Make it Non-GF: If you don't have tamari, you can use soy sauce. Just know that soy sauce contains gluten, so the dish will no longer be gluten-free.
Please note that this recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations than the ones listed above. Please be mindful that if you replace or add any new ingredients not mentioned above that the recipe results may change.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out, but luckily this one-pot recipe is very straightforward when it comes to what you'll need! All you'll need is one large, wide pan. Just make sure that whatever pan you use is fairly deep and has edges! This will ensure all the broth stays where it's supposed to, inside the pan.
Instructions
First prepare the halibut. This recipe calls for four seven ounce fillets of wild-caught Alaskan halibut. Start by slicing each of these fillets in half, then pat dry with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture. You'll only need salt and pepper to season these fillets as the majority of the flavor will come from the coconut curry broth. Set the fish to the side.
Next, start on the base of the broth. Add the olive oil to a large pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the minced shallot and sauté for five minutes before adding the minced garlic. Cook down for two minutes, then remove half and reserve for later.
Then, add the quartered bok choy to the pan with the tamari, ginger paste, green onions, and a little vegetable broth. Cover to steam, then season with red pepper flakes and sesame seeds before removing the bok choy from the pan.
After, add the rest of the shallot and garlic back to the pan with red curry paste, coconut milk, lime juice, and remaining broth. Bring to a low boil, then add the fish. Spoon the sauce over the fillets before covering with a lid to cook for a few minutes.
First, slice four 7 ounce fillets of halibut in half. Next, pat dry with a paper towel and allow to sit at room temperature. Then, season with salt and pepper before setting to the side.
Sauté the minced shallot and garlic in a large pan, then add the bok choy. Season with the tamari, ginger paste, green onions, a little vegetable broth, red pepper flaks and sesame seeds.
Remove the cooked bok choy and add the coconut milk, broth, and red curry paste to the pan. Bring to a low boil, then add the fillets of halibut.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and allow the halibut to cook for just a few minutes before removing from heat. Finally, garnish with cilantro and green onions.
Finally, remove the lid and turn off the heat. Allow the fish and broth to cool slightly before garnishing with freshly minced cilantro and green onions. Then, serve with the bok choy!
Hint: According to fish expert Tim Sobolewski from The Fish Market, you'll know the halibut is perfectly cooked when the halibut turns from translucent to opaque, and the edges begin to flake ever so slightly. Another sure-fire way to tell is by the internal temperature, which should be 130 degrees Fahrenheit when properly cooked.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this Alaskan halibut alone in the coconut curry broth, or you can serve it over a bed a rice. For this recipe, I paired my fish with black rice because it has a mild, nutty taste that pairs beautifully with the rich curry flavors. Jasmine rice would also work as a base for this dish.
Expert Tips
It's no secret that the experts at the The Fish Market know their stuff! Here's a few of the best tips they shared with me regarding preparation and cook of Alaskan Halibut:
- Use Equal Size Pieces: Fish sectioned off into different sized pieces will result in uneven cooks. The experts at the fish market seamlessly fillet each piece of halibut into perfectly even, equal pieces. Not only does this save you time and stress, but it also helps to ensure each fillet of halibut is cooked to restaurant-quality standards.
- Utilizing Premiere Halibut: The quality of fish that you use makes a huge difference in the overall outcome of the dish. Not only is it important to use Alaskan halibut for this recipe but using wild-caught halibut will also make a difference. Purchasing your fish from a quality fishery, like The Fish Market, will help ensure you receive the best pick of halibut.
- Best Ways to Cook Halibut: Halibut is a very versatile fish and easy to pan sear, bake, or even grill. For this recipe, we opted to cook the fish in the sauce; which, is called poaching. This cooking term just refers to cooking the fish in a liquid over low heat until it's cooked. This helped the fish retain its moisture, absorb flavor, and makes it easy for you as you don't have to worry about evenly cooking each side!
Storage
It's a rule of thumb that cooked fish is only best for 3-4 days. This recipe must be refrigerated in an air tight container. I prefer to keep the fish in the broth as I've found this helps the fish retain the moisture and flavor. Furthermore, I always keep the broth separate from the bok choy. This preserves the bok choy flavor and texture.
To reheat any leftovers from this dish, I wound recommend adding the desired amount to a microwave-safe dish and covering it. The broth is prone to splattering when reheated and this will help ensure your microwave stays clean!
FAQ
If you'd like to just make the fish without the bok choy, you can definitely do so. I recommend just cutting the serving of shallots and garlic in half. Then, proceed! You can still add the tamari, ginger paste, green onions, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds to the recipe as they'll add flavor to the broth.
The Fish Market has two locations in San Diego, California. The first is in Del Mar and the second is in downtown San Diego. You can also order online here!
The Fish Market
"We're seafood people in a restaurant industry." That's how fish expert Tim Sobolewski describes the Fish Market. And that's exactly how the Fish Market started out. Amongst the four founders was one fisherman and a boat captain. They then partnered with a seafood fanatic and culinary-skilled colleague to create a dream team of seafood people.
They brought their vision of creating a unique dining experience centered on simplicity, freshness, and quality to life in 1976. Almost 50 years later and their dedication to the seafood industry holds true. Their commitment to quality, sustainability, and the freshest catch comes through in each and every fish.
They make a point to maintain close relationships with local fishermen and are able to source some of the best catches right off the coast of California. For the seafood they can't source locally, they search far and wide to ensure they're finding the highest quality options. By sourcing only the best quality, they're able to deliver fresh fish from the sea directly to the table.
And you can really taste the difference! They prioritize seasonal fish to ensure their selection reflects the best type of fish for the current time of year. The Fish Market considers every avenue to go above and beyond in freshness and quality. "Seafood is our passion, freshness is our mission, and quality is our commitment."
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Thai-Style Halibut in a Coconut Curry Broth
Course: Mains, Meat, RecipesDifficulty: Medium8
servings15
minutes40
minutesThis flavorful, one pot recipe features a wild-caught, Alaskan halibut cooked in a Thai-style coconut curry broth. The end result is a delicate fish in a rich, tasty broth!
Ingredients
4 7 ounce fillets of Alaskan halibut
2 teaspoons pepper
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 baby bok choy, washed and quartered
1 tablespoon Tamari
2 tablespoons green onions, plus more for garnishing
2 teaspoons ginger paste or minced ginger
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 ½ tablespoons red curry paste
1 15 ounce can of coconut milk
¾ cup seafood stock or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
Lime wedges for garnish
Black rice, cooked
Directions
- Carefully slice each fillet of halibut in half, so that you have eight pieces. Pat each piece of halibut dry with a paper towel before seasoning both sides evenly with salt and pepper. Then, set to the side.
- In a large pan, heat the olive over medium-high heat. Add the minced shallots and sauté for three to five minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and cook down for two minutes.
- Remove half the shallots and garlic. Next, add the bok choy to the pan. Then, add the soy sauce, green onions and ginger. Add ¼ cup of the stock or broth and stir to combine. Cook uncovered for one minute before covering to steam the bok choy. Then, cook for three to four minutes.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Carefully remove the bok choy from the pan and set to the side. Then, add the reserved shallots and garlic back to the pan.
- Next add the red curry paste. Stir to combine before adding the coconut milk. Whisk until the paste and coconut milk are fully combined. Add the broth and lime juice, then bring to a low boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low until the broth is simmering. Whisk again before arranging the fish carefully in the pan. Make sure each piece is submerged in the broth. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Then, remove from heat and uncover.
- Garnish the fish with minced cilantro and green onions. Then, serve over black rice with the cooked bok choy and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerate in an air tight container for a maximum of four days.
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