Baked California Halibut with Lemon Vinaigrette

I came up with this baked fish recipe when the hottest part of the day was a perfect 72*, but this morning I forgot to check the weather report and ended up baking this fish with the AC blasting! Oops!! California halibut is a much more delicate fish than Alaskan and falls apart extremely easily on the grill. I recommend only the best of grill masters try this one on the outdoor grill. I’ve tried this type of halibut both off the grill and out of the oven and it is very tasty both ways, but I think baking is the way to go here. I like to buy the living herbs at my local Henry’s Market and the intensity of those herbs are much less than the ‘regular’ kind of fresh herbs that you get at the grocery store. If you’re using traditional fresh herbs, you may want to reduce the amount of rosemary as it can be quite potent. Serve with steamed brown rice and a garden salad.

What You Need:

 

1 lb wild caught California halibut fillet, rinsed and patted dry
1 Tbs fresh thyme, minced
1 Tbs fresh rosemary, minced
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 thin slices of lemon
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper



For the Vinaigrette:
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon
1/8 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

What To Do:

 

Heat oven to 350*. Brush both sides of the fish with oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with herbs and place lemon slices evenly over the fillet.

Bake fish for 12-15 minutes, or until flakes in the thickest part.

Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.

Serves 3

Bon Appétit!

Mary

Garden Salad with Mango Pineapple Vinaigrette

As my sister and I debated about where we should go for lunch today, I realized I’d much rather throw together a salad at home than drive somewhere and pay 10 bucks. I learned from Rachel Ray that if you combine your favorite jam with a little olive oil and vinegar, you can make a million different variations of white wine vinaigrette. While browsing the wall-o-jam at Mother’s Market last week, I saw mango pineapple jam for the first time and the gears instantly started turning. I added beans to this salad to crank up the protein just a bit. If you’re not a big fan of beans, leave them out or substitute cooked shrimp. If I had an avocado handy, I’d have thrown that on there also for some added creaminess.

What You Need:

1 head romaine, cut into thin strips

1 can mandarin oranges, drained
½ cup beans, rinsed and drained
1 med shallot, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
½ cup alfalfa spouts
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
4 oz crumbled goat cheese
1 recipe mango pineapple vinaigrette, recipe follows



What To Do:
Divide all ingredients between two plates and serve immediately.


Serves 2 (entrée portions)


Bon Appétit!
Mary





Mango Pineapple Vinaigrette

What You Need:

2 Tbs white wine vinegar

1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs 100% fruit mango pineapple jam
Salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and whirl away until smooth or wisk together by hand. If you find that your dressing is a little too thick, add vinegar ½ tsp at a time until desired consistency. Set aside.

Green Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

This simple salad is great for a light lunch or on a warm summer day. It makes two entrée sized portions or enough for four side salads. I like using Trader Joe’s pre-roasted beets to save time and to avoid heating up the kitchen with the oven. The vinaigrette is very light and tangy. I originally didn’t use the yogurt, but after taste testing, it needed a bit more creaminess. If you’re not big on onions, feel free to leave that out completely or for a more mild onion flavor you could substitute minced shallots. To make this a heartier meal, add some left over roasted chicken or shrimp.

What You Need:

1 head romaine, cut into thin strips

8 pieces asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 roasted beets, cut into bite sized chunks
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2-4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 recipe orange vinaigrette, recipe follows



What To Do:
Divide all ingredients between two plates and serve immediately.

Serves 2


Bon Appétit!
Mary


Orange Vinaigrette

What You Need:

¼ freshly squeezed OJ (juice from 1 orange)

1 tsp orange zest (optional, but highly recommended)

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbs minced red onion
1 Tbs plain yogurt (2% Fage Greek yogurt recommended)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 tsp honey

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a small food processor and set aside.  If you don't have a food processor, mince onions as small as possible and combine everything in a bowl with a wisk.