Halibut with Tomato and Lime

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 fresh halibut fillet (preferably 3/4 to 1 inch thick)

3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in quarters

Juice and zest of 1/2 lime

Kosher salt (add a bit, taste and adjust to your preference… salt and lime juice are a magical thing!)

Instructions:

Cook the halibut in whatever manner you prefer. During the summer, I grill outdoors on a cedar plank. During those spring days that still look and feel like winter, I pan fry the fillet with 2 tsp coconut oil (or any SIBO-friendly cooking oil) in a non-stick pan: flesh side down first, then flip and finish with the skin side down.

The length of time of either cooking method depends on how thick your fish is, how well your cooking appliance operates, and how “done” you like your fish. Generally speaking, it will take roughly 5-7 minutes to cook a fillet sized as indicated above.

As the halibut is cooking, combine all the ingredients of the salsa in a small bowl. If you want to keep the salsa fresh, place it on top of the fish after cooking / just before serving.

If you want to warm the salsa (as I did), add it to the pan around the fish during the second half of cooking (after you have flipped the fish to cook skin side down) and let the salsa warm for approximately 1 minute. This will flavor the skin side of the fish and release some juices from the salsa. After 1 minute, scoop the warmed salsa (and all its lovely juices) on top of the fish to soak in during the last few minutes of cooking: the juices from the warm salsa (combined with the remaining coconut oil from pan-frying the fish) will “melt” into the fish as it begins to flake open and finishes cooking.

Either way you serve it, top with fresh cilantro leaves in honor of all three colors of the Mexican flag.  🙂

Side Dish Suggestion:

I served this with a pan sauté of sliced squash, red peppers, and spinach leaves (stems diced, leaves julienned) in coconut oil.

• Be cautious when mincing a hot pepper: the chemical “capsaicin” (the stuff that causes all the heat) remains on the skin and will cause no end of pain if you touch, itch, or rub your eye, nose, or mouth. Wear disposable gloves, or wash your hands thoroughly with either vinegar or soap and water right after handling.