The halibut bite in SF Bay has been sensational this year. I haven’t seen anything like this for 30 years as it is like the good old days. There are only two changes from the Good Ole Days – the bass are smaller, but we have never had halibut like this before. Paradise and also at California City is where the halibut action is taking place.We had a sea lion trying to devour a hooked halibut as we were trying to land it.
We hit the road at 6am and launched at Loch Lomond Marina. A visit with Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle to stock up on live anchovies and we were on the water by 7:30am. The bay was flat and we were full throttle over to Paradise beach. The weather was absolutely perfect and a fun day was had by all.
Halibut with brown butter lemon sage, almonds and pine nuts
This recipe is super easy. I was cooking for myself, so adjust amounts accordingly. If halibut is not available, use thick flounder fillets, sole. snapper or grouper.
Ingredients:
1 Halibut fillet or other firm fleshed white fish
1/4 C Flour
1/8 C Parmesan grated on a rasp stick
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 Tbsp Butter
Sauce:
1/4 C Butter
4 Sage Leaves cut in Chiffonade
1/8 C Sliced Almonds
1/8 C of Pine Nuts
Mix the flour, parmesan and salt/pepper and dredge the fillet in the flour. Try to get as much of the parm to stick in any crevices. Add the butter and oil to the saute pan and saute about 3 minutes on each side over Med/High heat. You want it to be nicely browned. Timing depends on the thickness of the fillet.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and add pine nuts and sliced almonds over medium-low heat and continue to cook, stirring often until nuts are light golden brown and butter solids are browned as well, 3–4 minutes longer. It will get very foamy and you should see brown specks on the bottom of your pan. That’s the toasty, delicious milk solids. Add the sage leaves and cook (still over medium-low heat), stirring constantly, until sage crackles and is dark green and crisp, about 1 minute longer.
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