You know the type of night--a harried, whirlwind of a weeknight where take-out seems inevitable. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against take-out. The fact that it is typically more costly and less healthy than cooking at home is still often outweighed (in our household) by its convenience and deliciousness. Chinese? Yum! Pizza? Delish! Wings? Instant party! Burgers? Everybody's happy. Thai? Can't get enough. That said, there are times when you just need a home-cooked meal. Besides, for better or worse, it is almost always cheaper and more healthy. A 10-minute make-at-home meal that is both delicious and healthy? Rachael Ray can't even touch that one.
So here is (to date) my best attempt. I call it Halibut Fresco, and it has several varieties, including other meaty, white fish options. The following schema is for two people (an aside: as a conceptual cook, I find schemata much easier to deal with than recipes, if you ever need an exact recipe, just leave a comment and I'll do my best).
Heat up your grill to medium (somewhere around 400F works pretty well). Rub your 10-14oz piece of Halibut with some canola oil, and liberally salt and pepper both sides. Leaving the skin on one side is absolutely fine. Place the fish in aluminum foil, and wrap the entire piece (not too tight), folding over the ends to seal. Throw it on the pre-heated grill.
While the fish is cooking, chop one medium plum tomato and one small avocado and place them in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lime onto this mixture immediately. Then mince up part of a small onion (any kind is fine, you only need about 1/4 cup), once clove of garlic, and a small jalapeno (discard seeds for a milder heat, omit all together if you want no heat). Add chopped cilantro and chives, if available. Mix all ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste.
By the time you finish this, it should be time to flip the fish. For a thick filet about 4-5 minutes is enough, and then another 3-4 after flipping. When the fish comes off the grill, unwrap it, cut it into two pieces (this is a great trick to check for doneness of the fish, as people has distinct preferences for how they like it prepared). If it's not cooked, throw it back on. If it's the way you like it, place the pieces back together on a serving dish, squeeze the other half of the lime juice directly on fish. Top the fish with the salsa. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips (there are very healthy multi-grain and flax options if that's your style).
I know this doesn't sounds amazing, but my husband RAVED about this for days. Here are some other varieties to try:
Halibut Mediterranean: roasted red peppers, calamata olives, oregano, garlic, and lemon
Grouper Caprese: tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella, garlic
Woodside Salmon: grilled mushrooms and onions (slice thin and throw them on with salmon in a separate foil pack), goat cheese, balsamic
(All of the above are great on a bed of fresh spinach, just let the heat of the fish wilt it and you are good to go!)
