After taking a bit of a break for the holidays we are back and have decided to create a two part blog sharing our favorite ways to cook your catch! Part one consists of our crews’ top three favorite ways to cook up halibut.

The greatest reward of catching your own fresh Alaskan halibut when charter fishing in Homer is being able to prepare your catch and share it with your friends and family.  Rather than going to a market and buying halibut, you have the opportunity to come fish with us and reel in your very own fish, an experience through which you are able to witness the entire process from sea to plate! After landing your halibut, our seasoned crew will provide filleting services and bag your fish.  Then you are provided with access to Homer Fish Processing  to have your fresh fillets portioned into one pound packages and frozen, all taking place the same day you catch your fish. It is the freshest fish a consumer can gain access to. We are happy to provide you with the opportunity to fill your freezers with a healthy omega 3 rich food source.

Halibut is an amazingly versatile and delicious white fish that can be enjoyed in a multitude of culinary applications. It is a flakey, delicate, white fish which takes on flavors easily with little preparation.  Many people are intimidated by cooking their own catch, but you do not have to be a trained chef or a master in the kitchen to produce lovely meals from your hard earned fresh Alaskan Halibut!  The most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to preparing fish is not over cooking it, because no one enjoys a dry over-cooked fillet of fish.  Less is always more, and keeping in mind the thickness of your fillets while cooking is key. Thicker fillets will require a bit more time than thinner fillets.  When fully cooked, a fillet should feel firm but still tender.  If you are unsure, cooked fish should easily flake once removed from heat (you can insert a fork into the middle of the fillet to test the flakiness). All of the recipes that we will be writing about can be created from the home and can be easily modified and substituted.  In other words, don’t be afraid to tweak a few things to make them your own. After all, cooking for your friends and family should be creative and fun!

Coconut Panko Crusted Halibut Tacos

Ingredients (4 portions)

• 1 lb wild Alaskan halibut
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 eggs
• 2 TBSP milk
• 2 TBSP light beer
• 1 cup flour
• salt & pepper
• peanut or coconut oil for frying

Directions

• Remove halibut skin and slice into 1-2 inch cubes
• Set up three medium sized bowls to create a station for breading the halibut pieces. Bowl one containing the flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Bowl two containing the batter mixture: whisk together egg, beer and milk. Finally in bowl number three, add a 50/50 mixture of panko bread crumbs and unsweetened coconut.
• Dip each piece of halibut first in the flour, second in the egg mixture and finally in the panko/coconut mixture. Set aside on a holding plate to prepare for frying.
• In a cast iron pan heat ¼-1/2  inch of peanut or coconut oil.  A cast iron pan is preferred for frying because of its superior ability to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the frying process.  To test that the oil is up to temperature, drip a tiny bit of the batter into the hot oil when it sizzles, your oil is ready for frying.
• Being sure not to overcrowd the pan, place pieces of fish in oil one by one leaving about ½ inch of space between each piece. Fry halibut on each side until golden brown (about one to two minutes on each side).
• Place done pieces of golden brown halibut onto a platter lined with paper towels and lightly salt pieces to taste. Feel free to hold fish in the oven on warm to keep hot until all is fully prepared.

Taco Toppings

• 1 small-medium red cabbage
• 2-3 carrots shredded
• 1 small red onion thinly sliced or shredded
• ½  bundle of cilantro finely diced with stems included

Directions

• Shred red cabbage, carrots, and red onion
• Finely dice cilantro with stems included
• Combine all in large bowl

Dressing

• juice of one lime
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 2-3 TBSP apple cider or rice vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 TBSP sesame oil
• toasted sesame seeds

~Whisk all dressing ingredients together and pour over the slaw then toss.  Once well mixed sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top.

Chipotle sauce

• in a blender or food processor mix together ½ can of chipotle peppers in adobo to start add more if you want more spice (peppers and liquid)
• 1 16oz container of sour cream
• 1 cup of mayo
• juice of one lime
• 2 TBS of finely chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

**blend all ingredients until smooth depending upon taste one may use half as many of the can of peppers or add more mayo and sour cream to calm the spice.

Finally we are ready to assemble tacos using corn or flour tortillas depending upon personal preference. Corn tortillas are best when warmed in the cast iron or toasted directly over the gas stove flame.  Top tortillas with the desired amount of fried halibut and toppings serve with a slice of lime and enjoy!

Cheesy Halibut Dip

A quick simple easy appetizer recipe sure to wow guests at any party!

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh alaskan halibut
• 1 8oz block of cream cheese
• 1 4 oz (½ cup) can of green chilis
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (or any shredded cheese desired)
• ⅛ tsp Old bay seasoning
• salt & pepper
• ½ lemon
• fresh bake baguette

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, while the oven is heating, place halibut on a small baking sheet lined with foil (to help with clean-up) skin side down. Drizzle with olive oil and then season with black cracked pepper, old bay, and a touch of salt (careful not to over salt the old bay is quite salty itself) sprinkle with zest and juice from ½ lemon.
• Bake prepared halibut at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Halibut may be a bit under-done, which is fine because it will finish the cooking process in the second phase.
• Once halibut has been removed from the oven gently remove fillet from tray peeling from skin (which should peel away easily after baking). Place into a crock pot with cream cheese, a whole can of green chilis, and shredded cheese. Heat on high for 30-40 minutes stirring periodically or until bubbly, and well combined then turn to low. Leave on warm until guests arrive.
• Warm baguette in oven and slice. Serve dip straight out of the warm crock pot along with baguette. This dip is sure to be the talk of the party! It  is also excellent served with corn chips or crackers whatever you prefer.

Halibut Salad

This is a bright, fresh yummy treat that is sure to impress any lunch guest, and is an amazing replacement for the boring tuna salad many of us grew up with.  Halibut salad may be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. It also serves as an excellent way to use leftover baked or pan fried halibut from the night before.

Ingredients

• 1 lb halibut
• 1 lemon
• ½ cup Fresh parsley
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• Small red onion
• 2 stalks celery
• ½ cup dry cranberries
• Old bay
• Cracked black pepper

Directions

• Prepare halibut. If you have leftover halibut in the fridge from last night, simply place in a bowl and use a fork to flake the fish. If you do not have left over halibut, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place it on a baking sheet skin side down. Drizzle olive oil over fillet. Season with old bay and black pepper, zest half the lemon and squeeze juice over fish. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending upon the thickness of the fillet, until fork tender and flakey.
• Finely dice red onion, celery, and fresh parsley. Combine in a medium sized bowl with zest from the other half of lemon and cranberries, squeeze juice of lemon over the mixture. Add mayonnaise and mix to combine all ingredients well.
• Once halibut has cooled, remove it from the baking sheet, peel it from the skin and place into salad mixture. Flake fish and gently combine with the ingredients. Add more old bay and cracked black pepper to taste.
• Serve on yummy soft bread with lettuce and tomato for a more traditional sandwich style or as a dip with a side of crackers.  For a gluten free or healthier option, try serving with large leaves of romaine lettuce or endive and eat as lettuce wraps.

Hopefully after reading this blog post your mouth is watering! We have shared three yummy and versatile recipes. Keep in mind that they all require fresh Alaskan halibut, which is dependent upon booking your 2021 Halibut Charter with Inlet Charters.  We can not wait to get fishing again and hope that this post has inspired you to come out with us on the beautiful waters of Kachemak Bay and the Cook Inlet. If you’d like to check out our favorite salmon recipes, check out our blog post! If you make any of these recipes, be sure to tag us on Instagram or share to our Facebook Page, we’d love to see!