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Mike has a PT test at work in a couple weeks and has sworn of red meat while he prepares. (I have made no such pledge.) As such, we decided to that some the fish he caught on his trip to Alaska, figuring we could figure out how to cook it for dinner when the time came. As it happened, I saw the  recipe on the Today show's site in the afternoon of the day we planned on having it for dinner. How convenient! I did discover that we had actually thawed cod instead of halibut, but it was a white fish from Alaska, so we both figured it would work just as well.

Because we had a preportioned amount of cod ready to use which was closer to 2 pounds than one, we opted to double the recipe for the salsa verde. There was also a recipe for asparagus to have as a side dish, but we opted for corn on the cob instead since we already had some at home.

This was super-easy and pretty quick to whip up…excellent for a weeknight meal. The fish was moist, cooked-through but certainly not overcooked. And we were very glad that we doubled the salsa verde, as it really added a nice fresh herby flavor to the fish. I would say that it’s more like a chimichurri sauce than salsa verde as I know it, but I could see making it for other proteins, especially shrimp and chicken.

We do have quite a bit left over since everything was doubled, so I’ll let you know how it reheats. I know sometimes reheating fish can really dry it out, so I’ll have to figure out a way to avoid that here.

Roasted Halibut with Salsa Verde

1 cup packed roughly chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup packed roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

1½ tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

2 small anchovy fillets (packed in olive oil), rinsed and chopped

1 medium garlic clove, peeled and minced (½ teaspoon)

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of half a lemon)

1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, peeled and diced finely (3 tablespoons)

1 pound California or Alaskan halibut fillet (1- to 1½-inch thick), patted dry and halved

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Additional extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Salsa VerdeCombine the cilantro, parsley, capers, anchovy, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process for a few seconds then scrape down the sides. Add the olive oil, and process for a few more seconds. Spoon into a small bowl and stir in the shallots. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

HalibutAdjust an oven rack to the middle position, then preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Pat the halibut dry, then season both sides lightly with salt and pepper and allow to sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. Rub each halibut fillet with olive oil, just enough to coat.

Over medium-high heat, add the butter to a large, ovenproof sauté pan. The butter will foam up, subside, then begin to turn golden brown in color. Immediately add the halibut and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes.

Flip the halibut over and immediately transfer the sauté pan to the oven. Roast, uncovered, for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, remove the sauté pan and serve immediately or transfer the fish to a side plate so it won't overcook. Arrange portions on serving plates and top with the salsa verde.