Potato-Crusted Halibut

The challenge

Maximizing the flavor of halibut, a mild, lean, white fish.

The convention

Grilling, broiling, or deep-frying.

The quickie

Wrapping the fish in a crunchy, protective potato crust for a stovetop-to-oven recipe.

Halibut is a fish of many virtues: It’s meaty, it’s mild, and it has that beautiful pure white color, so it’s no surprise that it’s recently gone from restaurant favorite to the home kitchen. But its dense texture and low fat content make it hard to coax out its maximum flavor without a flavor-intensifying cooking method like grilling, broiling, or deep-frying. Yet each of those can be a bit of a pain.

HOW THIS QUICKIE WORKS

• A simple potato crust dresses up the halibut and adds some crunchy texture to the meaty fish
• Mayonnaise flavored with capers and chives lends more flavor and binds the potato crust to the fish
• Potatoes are grated only when ready to use to prevent them from discoloring

HOW THIS QUICKIE COOKS UP

The grated potatoes are pressed firmly onto the tops of the mayonnaise-coated fillets. Carefully place the fish, potato side down, in a little oil that had been heated in the skillet and let them cook until a crust forms. We find that it’s important not to move the fillets until the potatoes have set and started to brown; otherwise, the crust separates from the fish. Once the crust is golden brown and crisp, transfer the fish to a baking sheet to finish cooking in the oven. A few minutes later, pull the fillets from the oven for a flavorful fish supper that requires absolutely no frying oil, braising liquid, or charcoal.