It’s Taco Tuesday!
And I finally have it together enough to share an actual taco recipe on a Tuesday! I usually screw it up and post tacos on, like, a Thursday or something. Not that Taco Thursday can’t also be a thing (it totally is in our house)….
Pomegranate & Farro Salmon Salad
One of the most common questions I get in regard to my blog is “how do you not weigh 500 lbs!?” Dan gets asked this on regular, too….
Halibut with Lemon Aioli & Roasted Rainbow Carrots
After last week’s indulgences, I’m lightening things up a bit here today.
Today is another rendition of “what we really eat day to day in real life.” It seems to surprise people when we tell them that we don’t actually eat pulled pork nachos or banana foster milkshakes regularly (I wish!). Those are once-in-awhile treats. I just so happen to share those more frequently on the blog because, well, let’s face it: people would rather read about/look at pictures of nachos than green smoothies. Fact. The numbers don’t lie.
(Neither do the numbers on the scale. More fish. Fewer milkshakes. See? Math is easy.)
THIS “real life” dish, however, is worth sharing with you all. It is downright delicious, and it tastes far more indulgent than it really is. Which is exactly how I like my healthy stuff. I’ve ranted and raved about this in the past, and I know I sometimes sound like a broken record, but it’s because I mean it! Healthy foods can definitely taste good. Better than good.
Halibut is probably my favorite fish. It’s mild and flaky and can be prepared a million ways. It’s very similar to cod. Except a smidge better. My favorite way to eat it is like this. Simply seared and basted in a little butter and herbs. It doesn’t need more than that. It’s such a clean-tasting fish, and I try to keep it that way throughout the cooking process.
Served with a heavenly lemon aioli (which I could eat straight with a spoon) and some beautiful roasted rainbow carrots, this dish is sure to impress. The secret? It’s really easy. And quick. And all the other wonderful things I can say about a good weeknight meal. There I go again…broken record. But again, it’s because I mean it! The aioli is definitely the indulgent part of this dish, but the good news is that a little goes a long way. It’s creamy, rich, and super lemony, which I ADORE. You only need a dollop. And I can justify a dollop with all that other healthful goodness going on.
And then you have those carrots. Not only are they GORGEOUS, but roasting them is one of the simplest yet most delish things you can do to them. They sweeten up and get all caramely and awesome. Plus, they really are the cutest darn things I’ve seen at the market yet. The epitome of spring! Which seems to be quickly evaporating with our high-80s temperatures and muggy humidity. Blech. LOVE summer. HATE humidity. We ate this almost a month ago, and it was the PERFECT spring dish. Light, fresh, and lemony. It’s still technically spring despite the July-like weather, so I suggest you make this happen in your kitchen soon. We’re quickly entering into grilling season, and I am one to take full advantage of not having to turn on my oven or stove when it’s a bajillion degrees outside. Dishes like this are fleeting!
Seize the day. Seize the halibut.
That was awkward, right? Probably. Just go with it.
Halibut with Lemon Aioli & Roasted Rainbow Carrots
For the Fish:
2 (6-oz) halibut filets
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove
Few sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
For the Aioli:
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
¾ cup canola oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Carrots:
2 cups rainbow baby carrots
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Fish:
Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and set the timer for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme to the pan and baste the fish with the butter-oil mixture as it cooks. Flip the fish over and cook for another 2 minutes, continuing to baste it with the pan juices. Remove from heat and allow to rest slightly before serving.
For the Aioli:
Whisk the egg yolk until pale yellow. Add in the garlic and then stream in the oil VERY SLOWLY. Once the mixture emulsifies, add in the lemon juice and zest and season with salt and pepper. Keep covered until ready to serve. Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge.
For the Carrots:
Toss the carrots with the oil, salt, and pepper and place in a preheated 450°F oven on a baking sheet. Roast until tender and caramelized, turning once or twice, about 15-20 minutes total.
To Serve:
Place a dollop of the lemon aioli on each serving plate and arrange the carrots on top. Place the fish beside the carrots and serve with additional aioli on the side.
Asian Cod with Coconut Rice & Mango Salsa
SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!!! Just a couple more days until this long winter officially ends. Let’s hope the weather gets the message. So far this week, so good.
This time of year is bittersweet for me. I absolutely love spring. It feels like a fresh start in so many aspects of life. We finally shed the cabin fever (and the extra insulation that comes with it). Flowers bloom. The days are longer. There’s more motivation to be productive and active. It’s all good stuff.
I do, however, miss the bunkered down nature of winter. I love fires roaring in the fireplace, dogs cuddling on my lap, seemingly endless bottles of red wine, and pots of hot and hearty dishes bubbling away on the stove. It’s all very comforting. And as much as I crave spring this time of year, I’m always a little sad to say goodbye to those nice long weekends of hibernating…which have been especially wonderful with a new baby in the house. I don’t know that I would have wanted it the same way if it was summer. Winter gives you a good excuse to sit around and veg, and that is OH SO NECESSARY with a newborn. I think I would feel more stressed/pressure to participate in life if I had the baby in the summer? I already had a hard enough time turning off my type A personality tendencies when there was nothing to do but cuddle on the couch all day because it was FREEZE-YOUR-FACE-OFF cold outside.
With all that said, I’m celebrating spring today with this awesome seafood dish. It’s full-on destroying those winter doldrums. It’s light, flavorful, healthy, and topped with a springy salsa of fresh mango! Winter doesn’t stand a chance.
Cod is one of those fish I can get year round without breaking the bank. It’s meaty, flaky texture is fantastic, and it’s mild enough so that you can pretty much make it any way you like. I went with an Asian theme for this one. Lots of soy, garlic, ginger, and some heat from red pepper flakes. And let’s not forget the toasted sesame oil. I am obsessed. I would wash my hair with it if I could. So awesome.
The fish takes a quick dip in the Asian marinade and then roasts in the oven for 15-20 minutes while you get the other components put together. When all is said and done, you’ve got perfectly cooked, super flavorful fish. It really couldn’t be easier. Dare I say it: it’s FOOLPROOF FISH. Really. I wouldn’t lie to you. (If you aren’t a seafood fan, I’m fairly certain this recipe would work wonderfully with chicken breasts instead!)
I highly recommend that you take this perfectly-cooked-foolproof fish and serve it over creamy coconut rice (which deserves a gold star in the flavor department) and topped with fresh mango salsa…and you’ll be happy to see winter go.
It’s working for me!
Asian Cod with Coconut Rice & Mango Salsa
For the Mango Salsa:
1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
¼ cup finely diced red onion
¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
Drizzle of honey (to taste)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley or cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Rice:
1½ cups brown or white jasmine rice
2 cups full-fat canned coconut milk
½ cup coconut water
1 tablespoon sugar
1½ tablespoons coconut oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Cod:
2 pieces of cod (mine were boneless, skinless, and about 8-oz each)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
2 scallions, diced
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pinch of salt
For the Mango Salsa:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and season with salt and pepper. This can be made ahead (and gets better the longer it sits in the fridge!).
For the Rice:
Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat and add rice, coconut milk, coconut water, sugar, and salt. Stir, then bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook for about 30-40 minutes (or according to package directions) until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and then stir in coconut oil.
For the Cod:
Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the fish in a small baking dish. Whisk together the other ingredients and pour over the fish. Let sit at room temperature in the marinade for about 15 minutes.
Then, bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is flaky and cooked through (actual cooking time will depend on your oven and size of your fish fillets).
Place the rice in bowls, top with the fish, a drizzle of the pan juices, and then top with the mango salsa. Serve!
Coconut rice recipe adapted from here.
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!