Matauska Halibut Veracruz

Greg’s Sunday blog bringing up Mexican food really had me tempted. Later I think I saw Halibut Veracruz flash across the Hacienda sign. There was no escaping the Mexican food craving now. We have a freezer full of Halibut and while it is not my favorite to fish for or to eat, I thought I’d give it a try. This is an altered recipe for red snapper from a Mexican cookbook.

Even the Halibut fisherman, who only likes halibut deep fat fried or buried in mayonnaise and baked, loved this.

Halibut filet

1/4 cup of lime juice

4 crushed garlic cloves

1 tsp oregano

Chopped cilantro

(Calls for 1/2 tsp of salt I did not add)

Sauce:

1/2 olive oil (the good oil)

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves

4 fresh jalapeño chilies ( seeded and cut in strips)

1 onion thinly sliced

Chopped cilantro (add twice, early in the cooking and at the end to layer the flavor)

6-8 tomatoes seeded and diced.

1/4 cup of pickled jalapeño slices

1 tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup green olives with pimento ( I had to use sliced black olives)

Pre-heat the oven to 350.

Place the Halibut in a large oiled roasting pan- Mix lime juice, garlic and oregano and pour evenly over fish. Cook until almost flaking, about 30 min. Our thin tail fillets finished cooking out of the oven after 20 minutes, covered in the pan. Thicker pieces will take longer with some attention.

Sauce- Add olive oil, onions, and bay leaves to a small non-reactive sauce pan and cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic, tomatoes to sauté until soft. Add remaining ingredients. Pour desired amount of sauce over halibut served with a small serving of steamed brown rice stir fried with carrots, peas and corn in a scant amount of olive oil and butter. I got my Mexican food fix without cheese, but I thought about adding it.

1/4 lb. of halibut is about 250 calories. The rest can be controlled by portions