New Year Dinner - Roasted Halibut with Tomato Curry Sauce and Cauliflower Rice Pilaf

Well the best plans to get lai....whoops....the best laid plans, I mean.  He he.  Well it is New Years Eve right?  We had reservations to hit my kid's favourite local haunt, The Big Ragu at St. Clair and Lansdown for dinner tonight but the poor Teen has been sick for a couple of days, so we had to cancel.  Enter Plan B......a fish dinner recommended by my brother-in-law Paul from the most recent Food & Drink magazine from the LCBO.  We'll give it a shot and let you know......

We also picked up the recommended wine pairings of:

2009 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc ($29.95...pricey I know)
2008 20 Bees Unoaked Chardonnay ($10.45)

Roasted Halibut with Tomato Curry Sauce (Serves 4)


2 tbsp vegetable or other neutral oil
2 tbsp mild Indian curry paste
1 tsp grated ginger
4 pieces halibut, 5-6 ounces each

Combine oil, curry paste and ginger in a bowl.  Place halibut in a glass or metal dish and brush curry paste mix all over.  Leave to sit for 30 min.

Curry Sauce  (Time:  Approx 30 min)

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or more if you like it HOT)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 to 2 tsp mango chutney (we went for the hot one)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until softened about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic and continue to cook 1-2 more minutes.  Stir in coriander and cumin and cook for another minute.  Add cayenne, tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add coconut milk and chutney and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Taste and add more mango chutney if needed.   Let cool slightly and then puree sauce with immersion blender, then stir in chopped cilantro.  Set aside.

For Fish:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Roast halibut for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through.  To serve, spoon sauce in the centre of a serving plate, top with halibut and add Cauliflower Rice Pilaf on the side.

Cauliflower Rice Pilaf


2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
3 cups small cauliflower florets
1 tbsp chopped seeded green chili
1 tsp chopped garlic
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup coconut milk
1.5 cups water
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
3 tbsp chopped mint

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.  Add onions and saute for 2 minutes or until softened.  Add cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in chili and garlic and saute for 1 minute then add rice and still well.  Add coconut milk, water, cloves, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper to taste.

Cover pot, turn heat to low and cook rice for 15 minutes until rice is cooked and liquid has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes to steam before serving.  Remove whole spices.  Sprinkle with almonds and mint before serving.

Happy New Year everyone!