Halibut in Cider and Saffron Rice
Serves: 2
This delightful dish is from the Asturias region of northern
Spain, located on the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, which is famous for its hard
cider. Before fermentation, apple cider is called "sweet." If allowed to ferment, the cider
becomes hard. The alcohol content can vary. Hake is the traditional fish used for this Spanish
meal. It can be difficult to find in the United States, so I have used halibut instead in this
recipe. The general rule for cooking fish is 10 minutes for a 1-inch-thick piece. If the fish
is thicker or thinner, adjust the cooking time, using the 10-minute rule as a guideline.
Remember, the fish will continue to cook after it is removed from the heat. I usually cook the
fish 8 minutes per inch to account for this.
Calorie: 672, Proteins: 37 g, Total Fat: 40 g, Fiber: 3.30 g, Sugar 2 g.
Preparation
Halibut in Cider
Place flour on a plate and add salt and pepper to taste. Roll halibut
in the flour, making sure all sides are coated. Shake off excess. Heat olive oil in a
medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add halibut and brown 3 minutes, turn, and
brown second side 2 minutes. Remove to a plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Raise
heat and add garlic, tomatoes, and cider to the skillet. Cook 5 minutes to thicken sauce. If
tomatoes are watery, cook a few more minutes. Return fish to skillet, lower heat, and cook in
sauce 3 minutes. Remove fish to 2 dinner plates and spoon sauce over fish.
Saffron Rice
Heat olive oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add
rice and toss 1 minute. Add water and saffron. Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fluff with a
fork and sprinkle parsley on top. Serve with halibut.