Ahhh, wouldn’t a tropical vacation be wonderful about now?! You won’t actually feel the sand beneath your toes, but my recipe for Jerk Halibut with TipsyTropical Fruit Salad will whisk you away on a transcendental taste adventure thanks to plenty of Caribbean-inspired flavors. You can use any fish you like for blacking with my jerk seasoning blend, but meaty halibut really satisfies and holds up well in a skillet or on the grill. All the spicy heat of jerk is offset by a cool chopped fruit salad that has been macerating in a tasty tequila dressing.
Now, as you may already know, Halibut is not caught in tropical waters. It’s a cold water fish and Sizzlefish.com does a great job with their Alaskan-sourced halibut. But, boy oh boy, how I do love this elegant, steak-like fish that cooks up so light and flaky. Halibut isn’t part of the Paleo Prime fish collection I typically order from Sizzlefish.com (includes a variety of items from Gulf Shrimp to Coho Salmon), but their Halibut is sold in 14 4-ounce pieces that ships flash-frozen on dry ice straight to your door — it would make a nice stash in the freezer!
Are you a fish fan? What’s your favorite catch? What’s the last island you’ve visited? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer
- 4 4-oz halibut filets
- 1 tablespoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil or other high smoke point oil
- 1 cup diced mango
- 1 cup diced pinapple
- 1/2 cup diced onion, white or red
- 1 cup diced seeded tomato
- 1/3 cup green onions, bulbs and tops
- 1 diced jalapeno pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 large diced avocado don't pick one too ripe, just slightly ripe
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce silver tequila
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or EVOO
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
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To prepare fish, unwrap and pat dry with paper towels. Leave skin on underside of halibut if attached.
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In small bowl, toss together allspice, cinnamon, brown sugar, red pepper, cloves, cumin, salt and black pepper until combined. Add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil and mix until a paste is formed.
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Rub paste over all sides of fish. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil) to large skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add halibut and sear on each side (front and back or all 4 sides if cut think and long) for several minutes each until spices have formed crust and fish is no longer translucent.
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Add all ingredients for fruit salad, except avocado, to bowl. Prepare dressing by whisking together all dressing ingredients in small bowl until combined. Pour dressing over fruit salad. Gently stir in avocados.
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To serve, place mount of fruit salad on plate and top with halibut. Season with Sriracha or hot sauce if desired.
