Equipment
Ingredients
main
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 2 halibut
- 40 g unsalted butter
brazilian-style lime dressing
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3 g ginger, chopped
- 3 garlic, finely chopped
- 2 hot green chillies, chopped
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 100 ml coconut milk
- 2 g palm sugar
- 3 g cornflour
- 3½ lime, juice only
- 3 g chives, chopped
to serve
- 6 purple-sprouting broccoli
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 984 kcal
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 82 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 200 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 36 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 34 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 229 mg
- Potassium
- 1598 mg
- Calcium
- 240 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 99 mg
- Phosphorus
- 601 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 520 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 121 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 11.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 3.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.20 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 11.1 mg
- Folate
- 53 mcg
- Water
- 285 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F).
Heat 30ml vegetable oil in an ovenproof pan over medium-high heat.
Place halibut fillets flesh-side down in the pan and sear until the surface is golden brown.
Flip the fillets and transfer the pan to the oven to roast for 6-8 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F).
While the fish roasts, heat 30ml vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the shallot, ginger, garlic, and chillies until soft.
Add the heavy cream and coconut milk to the saucepan and bring the liquid to a simmer.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornflour with a small amount of water to form a smooth slurry.
Whisk the cornflour slurry and palm sugar into the simmering sauce until thickened.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in half of the lime juice and the chopped chives.
Remove the halibut from the oven, add butter to the pan, and spoon the melted butter over the fillets.
Drizzle the remaining lime juice over the fish and let it rest for 3 minutes.
Heat a separate frying pan over high heat and dry-fry the broccoli spears for 5-6 minutes until charred.
Plate the halibut with the lime sauce and serve with the toasted broccoli.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your halibut fillets are of similar thickness to promote even cooking.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when searing the halibut; cook in batches if necessary to achieve a good crust.
- Taste the coconut-lime sauce and adjust the lime juice and palm sugar to your preference before thickening.
- For perfectly charred broccoli, make sure the pan is hot before adding the spears and avoid stirring too frequently.
- Resting the fish after cooking allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more moist and tender fillet.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store sauce separately if possible to maintain fish texture.
Reheating: Gently warm sauce in a pan; reheat fish in a 150°C (300°F) oven until just warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Fish is dry or tough
Cause: Internal temperature exceeded 63°C (145°F)
Fix: Add extra sauce to provide moisture
Prevention: Check temperature early at 5 minutes of roasting
Sauce is too thin
Cause: Cornflour slurry was not cooked long enough to activate
Fix: Simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes
Prevention: Ensure the sauce reaches a simmer after adding the slurry
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from Brazilian coastal cuisine, known for its vibrant flavors and use of fresh seafood. The combination of coconut milk, lime, and chili reflects the tropical influences found in many Brazilian dishes, particularly those from the Northeast region.
