Fish was on sale!

Omigod, we love fish in this household. The biggest issue is that fish has been really expensive* lately, and so therefore we haven’t really been eating fish as often as we like. But anyway! On Tuesday when we trucked up to do the grocery run, we found that halibut was on sale for super cheap. So we got a pound.

And then really had no idea what to do with it. I usually make tilapia or cod. And I usually have something in the cupboard to simmer that business in. This week I did not. Luckily, I actually knew about that while I was still at the grocery store (bonus!) and started poking around for something to simmer with. But then I got distracted by the idea of shepherd’s pie, and everything went sideways. What developed from this was a meal so yummy, I didn’t even get pictures before it was all gone. So let me tell you about it.

Full Disclosure Part 1: there is a lot of butter in this. If you don’t approve of butter, you will not like this dish. Full Disclosure Part 2: There are almost no precise measurements involved in this recipe, as I was putting it together on the fly. Ok, now that that business is out of the way, here’s the dish:

Fishy Shepherd’s Pie – serves 3 (no leftovers**)

most of a stick of butter
1lb halibut fillets
juice of 1/2 lemon
some panko bread crumbs
4-6 small potatoes, sliced to 1/2″ rounds
Montreal Steak Seasoning
garlic powder
red pepper flakes

 

1. Boil the potatoes about 10 minutes, until not raw, but also not fully cooked. While they’re boiling, butter a loaf pan as if you’re going to bake something in it that might stick. I used a glass loaf pan, but I’m not 100% sure that makes any difference. Also, melt about 2/3 stick of butter over low heat, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400º.

2. Drain potatoes and line the bottom of the loaf pan with them. Sprinkle the steak seasoning and some pepper flakes on top of the potatoes to taste. Place fish fillets on top of the potatoes and squeeze the lemon half over the fillets.

3. Pour some of the melted butter over the fillets, enough to cover them gently, but not soak them. Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder, and then cover with a layer of panko bread crumbs.*** Pour any butter that’s left onto the panko.

4. Cover in foil and bake for about twenty minutes, until the fish looks nearly done in the middle but is still questionable. Uncover and cook another 5-10 minutes, until the crumbs are browned to golden and the fish is cooked through.

Serve hot and enjoy! I paired it with broccoli rabe, and it was delightful.

***

*Dude, *groceries* have been expensive. This may or may not be because we have a teenager living in our house.
**See above note.
***You could, conceivably use cracker crumbs for a more authentic New England experience. I did not try this; I thought it might be too sweet. But then, I do not have an authentic New England palate, so, um… I bet Dearest Will would be into that, tho’