This simple, bright halibut recipe uses a soy poaching liquid to infuse flavor and ensure that the fish doesn’t dry out. That same liquid cooks the swiss chard, which gets tossed with crunchy snap peas in a simple ginger lime dressing. Avocado adds much needed richness and creaminess to this bright and light meal!
Ingredient highlight
Halibut! This premium flaky white fish is popular due to it’s slightly sweet, pure flavor and firm, flaky texture. It’s rich in omega-3 fats, vitamin B12 + B6, magnesium, and folic acid.
Wild Alaskan halibut is the best quality if you can find it. It’s fishing season is generally May-September, so if you have a good fish market, those are the best months to splurge on some halibut!
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 14 minutes Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 bunch scallions trimmed, green and white parts separated, green parts thinly sliced
- 4 (~4 oz) halibut fillets (or use salmon fillets)*
- 2 large bunches swiss chard stems removed, thinly sliced and leaves roughly chopped or torn**
- 4 oz snap peas sliced (about 1 heaping cup)
- 1 avocado sliced
- Sesame seeds
For the dressing:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lime juice or rice vinegar
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- *Try to find center cuts (thicker pieces) that will all cook at the same rate. Ask your fishmonger to cut into fillets!
- **If you can’t find swiss chard, you can use large bunches of kale or any mix of greens.
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add the water, soy sauce or tamari, honey or maple syrup, and white parts of the scallions. Place the fillets into the skillet, skin side up. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil/rapid simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through, turning the fillets halfway through. You may need to flip the fillets again if they need to be cooked more in the center. The time will depend on how thick the fillet is. Transfer the fillets and scallions to a plate.
- Add half of the chard and sliced stems to the skillet and simmer until wilted down, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining chard and stems and cook until wilted, about 2 more minutes. Use tongs to transfer to a bowl (leave the broth behind, we’ll use it later). Chop up the cooked scallions and add them back in with the chard.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice or vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger. Add the snap peas and dressing to the bowl and toss to coat.
- Serve the chard topped with fish and avocado. Sprinkle with the green parts of the scallions and sesame seeds. Pour the reserved poaching broth over everything.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Prep the swiss chard leaves and stems
- Prep snap peas
- Prep scallions
- Make the chard dressing
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian/vegan: Substitute with pressed/drained tofu slabs and poach/braise those in the soy liquid. It would pair beautifully with the chard salad!
- Can’t find good halibut? Substitute salmon fillets in place of the halibut. I’d rather you use a better quality, fresher fish than be stuck on finding halibut!
- Can’t find swiss chard? Use kale, mustard greens, spinach or any seasonal leafy green.
- Substitute any crunchy Spring veggie for the snap peas – thinly sliced radish, asparagus, and cucumber would all work.
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Halibut: up to 2 days
- Greens: up to 4 days
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Gently warm up the fish (just to take the chill off, you don’t want to zap it too hard). Warm up the chard salad. Serve with avocado, top with fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
- Flake the halibut and use it in anything from bowls to tacos.
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