Name: Pan Seared Pacific Halibut with Brown Butter Ponzu Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 (6 oz.) portions Pacific halibut, frozen; 1 lime, juiced and zested; 1 lemon, juiced; 1 orange, juiced; 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons mirin; ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sugar; ½ inch piece of ginger, grated; 2 scallions, sliced; 7-8 snow peas, trimmed and sliced on a bias ¼-inch thick; 2 sticks (½ lb) unsalted butter, cubed

A Bright, Buttery Recipe for Fish Cooked From Frozen

This recipe for seared Pacific halibut with brown butter ponzu sauce is equal parts cozy and elevated. The fish is conveniently cooked from frozen, making this dish a great last-minute dinner option, too! The frozen Pacific halibut is gently seared and roasted in a generous amount of brown butter, which keeps the fish juicy and tender as it cooks.

How to Make Ponzu Sauce

Ponzu is a bright, citrusy, and salty Japanese sauce. Its tart, acidic flavor balances the nutty, caramelized flavor of brown butter for a zesty, satisfying bite. Ponzu sauce is very easy to make at home, if you have a few basic Japanese pantry staples in your kitchen — soy sauce, mirin, and rice wine vinegar. These ingredients are simply combined with a mix of citrus juices to create a thin, pourable sauce.

How to Make Brown Butter

For the brown butter sauce, you'll cook regular butter in a pan over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Over time, the milk solids in the butter will start to turn golden brown, caramelizing gradually and developing a complex, toasty flavor. The recipe below makes enough brown butter for several uses. You can store any extra brown butter in the freezer for up to 3 months, or in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

Print Recipe

Pan Seared Pacific Halibut with Brown Butter Ponzu Sauce

By Wild Alaskan Company

Prep time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total time

30 minutes

Yield

2 servings

Ingredients

2 (6 oz.) portions Pacific halibut, frozen
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 lemon, juiced
1 orange, juiced
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
¼ cup tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
½ inch piece of ginger, grated
2 scallions, sliced
7-8 snow peas, trimmed and sliced on a bias ¼-inch thick
2 sticks (½ lb) unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F. On the stovetop, heat a small heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add butter to the pot and whisk it frequently as it melts. The milk solids in the butter will begin to caramelize and develop a nutty aroma, becoming browned in about 8 to 10 min. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, make the ponzu. Combine the lime juice and zest, lemon, orange, vinegar, mirin, tamari/soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and scallions in a small bowl. Set it aside.

3. Rinse the frozen fillets under cold water, then pat them dry with a tea towel. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the size of the fillets — this will be placed under the fillets to help them cook gently.

4. In a medium oven-safe skillet, place the fish in a single layer on the parchment paper. Spoon ½ cup of brown butter over the fish, then season with salt. Allow the fish to cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Reserve remaining brown butter for another use, storing it in covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.

5. Transfer the fish to the oven and roast for 8 minutes, flipping once halfway through roasting. Take fish out and add the sliced snow peas to the pan. Return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 2 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the fish to plates. Divide the brown butter and peas evenly around the fillets, then add a couple of spoonfuls of ponzu to each plate. Serve immediately.

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.

Pan-Seared Pacific Halibut with Brown Butter Ponzu

A Bright, Buttery Recipe for Fish Cooked From Frozen

How to Make Ponzu Sauce

How to Make Brown Butter

Pan Seared Pacific Halibut with Brown Butter Ponzu Sauce

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