10-minute HEALTHY dinner!

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!)

Salmon Bundle

I used to wait tables at a great little gourmet restaurant in Zionsville called the Pidge.  The Owner/Chef, Casey Uglow (who still has a cult following), had three amazing years of making Indianapolis Monthly's Top 50 Indy Restaurants, but just couldn't make it work and sadly shut her doors in 2003. Zionsville is still in mourning.

The Pidge was the only food eastablishment I worked that I never got tired of the food. Working mostly double shifts for a full year (I was in full-on money-saving mode), that is something to be said. In fact, our half-price entree each shift was the highlight of each day, carefully planned and highly anticipated. My favorite lunch offering was something called the Salmon Bundle.  I still salivate when I say the name.

It is an unassuming spinach tortilla filled with grilled mushrooms and salmon, fresh spinach, dilled Havarti cheese and a roasted garlic aioli. Mayophobe that I am, I leave that part out (I swear it is just as good, but you can judge for yourself).  I would give you a schemata, but you already know all the ingredients and it's very self-explanatory.  Just make sure the grill is nice and hot and everything gets lightly charred.  Wrapping up the ingredients tightly and grilling the entire wrap is also key, as it lets the cheese fully melt and the flavors combine.  

Before eating this heavenly burrito-of-the-gods, I never thought of fish and cheese together. (I suppose with the exception of a parmesan-crusted white fish).  Now I routinely pair fish (full-flavored fish work best) with chevre, herbed boursin, and dilled Havarti.  I also find that salmon and bleu cheese works nicely.  This particular bundle is one of the best bites I have ever eaten, and I still make it when I have a lunch guest that I really want to impress. In fact, I think it will be on our menu for dinner tomorrow.... Cheers!