Anne’s birthday entreé

Halibut Asian Style

• 2 pounds halibut fillets, cut into chunks
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• Olive oil
• Sesame oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 lemon
• 5 sprigs of fresh coriander, leaves pulled off
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1 fresh red chile, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Place the sesame seeds onto a flat dish, then add the halibut chunks, turning them over in the seeds to nicely coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add about 3/4 of the sliced garlic to the pan and fry for 1 minute, or until golden and crisp, remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to quickly transfer to a plate, leaving the oil in the skillet.

Return the pan to the heat, then add the sesame-coated halibut to the garlic oil. Sear on one side for 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, turn over and cook on other side for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Place the grated ginger in a small bowl with the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the remaining sliced garlic. Add the zest of the lemon and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, then mix well to combine. Taste and add more lemon juice, if needed.

Arrange the halibut on salad plates or shallow bowls. Drizzle over the soy dressing, scatter the fried garlic slices on top along with the cilantro leaves, green onion and chile slices. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Serves 4