Ellie Krieger
The Washington Post – This recipe is as close as you can get to capturing spring in a skillet. It is so full of brilliant colour you practically need sunglasses to eat it.
The dish gets its radiance from the field-green of asparagus and peas, pops of pink radish and celebratory ribbons of carrot. Nestled into that garden of produce are fillets of white, flaky fish (halibut, cod or similar firm fish all work), made golden with a quick sear in a hot pan to start.
The vegetables and fish finish cooking together in a lemony pan sauce, which is enriched with a dab of butter and is made right in the same skillet.
A generous shower of tender herbs adds a fresh grassy perfume. (I used parsley and dill, but basil and/or mint would be nice, too.)
It’s a meal that comes together, start to finish, in about half an hour, and eating it feels a lot like a walk in the park on a perfect spring day: restorative, uplifting and fulfilling.
HALIBUT AND SPRING VEGETABLE SKILLET
Active time: 35 minutes
Four servings
This recipe is as close as you can get to capturing spring in a skillet. It features flaky, white fish nestled into a saute of brilliantly colourful seasonal vegetables, all in a lemony, and topped with a generous shower of tender, fresh herbs. It comes together in one pan in about half an hour, and is as uplifting and fulfilling as the season itself.
Storage Notes: Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days.
INGREDIENTS
– Four to five ounce skinless, centre-cut halibut filets (may substitute with cod)
– Quarter teaspoon plus one-eighth teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
– Quarter teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
– Two tablespoons olive oil
– Half large sweet onion (six ounces), thinly sliced
– One bunch asparagus (about one pound), woody ends trimmed, cut on the bias into two-inch pieces
– One large carrot (five ounces) peeled, then cut into wide ribbons using a vegetable peeler
– Four small red radishes, quartered
– A quarter cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth plus one tablespoon fresh lemon juice
– A quarter cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, or water
– One tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
– One tablespoon unsalted butter
– Half cup tender fresh or frozen peas
– Four teaspoons chopped fresh dill, for garnish
– Four teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Pat the halibut as dry as possible with a paper or kitchen towel, then season the top with one-eighth teaspoon of each salt and pepper.
In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Place the halibut in the skillet, top side down. (It may sputter, so stand back a bit.)
Cook the fish without moving it until browned, about 2 minutes. Using a large spatula, transfer the fish to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, two minutes. Then stir the asparagus, carrot, radishes and the remaining quarter teaspoon of salt and one-eighth teaspoon of pepper and cook until the vegetables have softened slightly, about one minute.
Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, by about half, about four minutes.
Add the broth or water, lemon juice and butter and cook, stirring, until the butter has melted, about one minute.
Return the fish to the pan, cooked side up, nestling it into the vegetables. Cook for two minutes, basting the fish occasionally with the sauce. Then stir in the peas, and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the vegetables are firm-tender, one to two minutes more. Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired.
Divide the fish and the vegetables among four shallow bowls or plates, top with the chopped dill and parsley and serve.
Nutrition information per serving (one five-ounce fish filet and about one cup vegetables) | Calories: 274; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 63mg; Sodium: 283mg; Carbohydrates: 15g; Dietary Fibre: 5g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 26g.
