This is a recipe that goes back to my sophomore year of college. I secured a job waiting tables at a local restaurant a block away from my college dorm in New York City. I loved the restaurant as a patron, so working in it was an exciting prospect. Considering what I ended up doing with my career, you would think this was an ideal place for me to cut my teeth in hospitality. Wrong. I honestly made a terrible server and learned the lesson of how hard restaurant work can be. An older gentleman came in one afternoon and ordered steamed halibut with salsa verde and coffee. Remember, I wasn’t yet a chef whatsoever. That just seemed like a terrible combination to me, so I promptly forgot his order as an emotional response. Needless to say, he kept flagging me down and I kept ignoring and forgetting. By the time I got his food, it was too late to salvage the situation, and I was fired. This dish is an homage to the plate of food I should have ordered because maybe I would have been a floor manager instead of a chef! Use any white, flaky fish you like with this.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped (stems and all)
- 8 to 10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (stems and all)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons drained capers, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- 12 gherkins (cornichons), finely chopped, with brine
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 medium red onion, minced, soaked in ice water
- Juice of 1 large lime
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Five 5- to 6-ounce pieces striped cod, halibut, flounder or sea bass fillets, bones and skin removed
Instructions
- For the salsa verde: In a large bowl, mix the cilantro, parsley, olive oil, capers, mustard, fish sauce, coriander, gherkins, a splash of the brine from the jar of gherkins, garlic and the drained onion. Mash the ingredients with the back of a spoon to integrate. Whisk to blend. Stir in the lime juice and a generous pinch of salt when ready to serve.
- For the fish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, remove the skillet from the heat and add the fish to the skillet. Place back on the heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, then place in the oven and cook until the fish is cooked through, 4 to 5 additional minutes. The fish should be opaque and easy to flake with a fork.
- Arrange the fish on a platter. Top with spoonfuls of the salsa verde.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 281 |
| Total Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 25 g |
| Cholesterol | 53 mg |
| Sodium | 2246 mg |
Reviews
Made this last night with halibut, super yummy! The one thing I would change is not adding coriander seeds. I didn’t care for the texture.
This is such a delicious recipe for fish, quick preparation that delivers a flavorful salsa. I used halibut steaks and didn’t bother with taking the skin off the bottom. It quickly browned and slipped right off the fish. Served it with fresh corn on the cob – a great summer meal in 45 minutes or less.
Excellent way to serve fish! So flavorful, my family loves it!
I’d eat this salsa verde on everything. So delicious. The fish sauce absolutely makes it.
This is such a great quick & simple way to cook cod too. Comes out perfect every time.
This is such a great quick & simple way to cook cod too. Comes out perfect every time.
We LOVED this recipe! It’s on the
Menu for tonight too.
Menu for tonight too.
I’d never have thought these flavors would work, but they did! Easy and delicious. (I did sous vide chillean sea bass.)
I made the recipe as written, used cod for the fish. Easy to put together and delicious to boot! This was a weeknight meal but could be made with halibut and served for company.
Delicious! I used curly parsley and cod, as this is what I had available. I also added blackened seasoning to the fish and cooked completely in the pan without putting it in the oven. It was so good-very fresh tasting, light, and healthy too. I will definitely make this one again.