The halibut is gently poached in a rich broth of tomatoes, Thai curry paste and coconut milk. 

Earlier this week, quite late, there was a hushed commotion outside of our house.  A handful of neighbours were speaking in hushed voices and snapping pictures with their phones. They appeared to be staring intently at a carport, pointing and ducking and weaving to get a better look.  Assuming it was a crime scene (regrettably not COMPLETELY unreasonable for my hood these days) I gently, and naturally, shoved my reluctant hubby out the door to eavesdrop. Then I paced....

After a few minutes he returned, tossed me a hoodie only to say... "grab your camera Nancy Drew.... it's a total lunar eclipse."

(I added the Nancy Drew part, but he was saying it with his eyes)

It was quite the site.  It changed dramatically in such a short amount of time, glowing red, orange and sometimes bright white.  It was gorgeous and apparently doesn't come around very often.  I have heard anywhere from 33 years to a possible siting coming in 2017.  We didn't wake the Little one, figured we would take our chances on 2017.

This poached halibut was inspired by the very beautiful, very interesting lunar eclipse. I love the idea of poaching fish but so often it is done in butter.  With the addition of a small amount of coconut milk, tomato paste and some red Thai curry paste, I was able to achieve a similar amount of richness without the additional 184 grams of fat a butter poach would add.

The red Thai curry paste is not too spicy for most palates.  It falls in between the green (hot!) and the yellow (relatively mild).  Our family has a high tolerance for spice so go easy if you are not sure, but the coconut milk really mellows it out.  My Little enjoyed it immensely with lots of rice and just a small amount of sauce.  Onions, garlic, ginger - a classic, guaranteed winner - all sautéed with the paste and spices create a vibrant and fragrant flavour base.  The halibut won't take long so be careful not to overcook.  The best part is any leftover sauce will make a lovely condiment to dip some crusty bread in the following day.

So we saw the total lunar eclipse in all its glory.  My son will either be 6 or 37 the next time it comes around, depending on who you trust on google.  In the interim, this poached halibut in Thai curry broth will have to serve as a colourful reminder.

Enjoy!

Poached Halibut in Thai Curry Broth

Author: Food Well Said

The halibut is gently poached in a rich broth of tomatoes, Thai curry paste and coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked white jasmine rice
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup white onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1, 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon red Thai curry paste
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups of puree tomatoes
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 3 - 4 halibut fillets
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup green onion (scallions), chopped
• handful of pea shoots (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook rice as per package instructions.
2. Heat a heavy skillet over medium and add olive oil. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Saute lightly with wooden spoon until onions are slightly translucent. Add curry paste, tomato paste, coriander, salt and pepper. Stir well into a fragrant paste. Let cook about 1 -2 minutes.
3. Add coconut milk and tomato puree. Combine and let simmer gently about 15 minutes.
4. Rinse and pat dry halibut. Using tongs, gently place into tomato broth. Put a lid over pan and let steam about 10 minutes over med to med/low heat. Cooking time will depend on size and thickness of fish. Check after ten minutes. You can spoon some of the broth over the halibut to increase cooking speed.
5. Serve over rice and top with cilantro, scallions and optional pea shoots.

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