Halibut and Asparagus are back in season!
Halibut Cheeks are more rare to find than the Halibut steaks, so I definitely suggest to grab them when you see them! Remember, too, that when you eat fish you need to eat more than your normal quantity of chicken or steak to get the same amount of protein. It’s a great excuse to indulge in this delicious treat :)
We bought our Halibut Cheeks from the Gemini Fish Market in Issaquah – they serve all fresh seafood, and it is definitely the place to go!
While we were at Pike Place Market a couple weekends ago, at Market Spice (stocking up on my favorite tea), we found a seafood spice mixture that was both salt and sugar-free, so we tried that on our Halibut Cheeks.
I also have to give credit to Asparagus being back in season. We roasted some up to go alongside our Halibut Cheeks, and it was – by far – the best Asparagus I have ever had. We had purchased two bunches of organic Asparagus from our local PCC the night before, and it tasted so sweet and fresh. It was fantastic!
So… it’s a pretty simple recipe all around…
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh Halibut Cheeks
- Market Spice Seafood Seasoning Rub (or any seasoning of your choice!)
- Olive Oil (just a sprinkling for the pans)
- 2 Bunches Fresh Organic Asparagus
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
- Sea Salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 415.
- Prep Asparagus by breaking off the tough ends (they’ll snap in a natural spot about 1″-2″ from the bottom). Wash and dry asparagus, and spread them on a baking pan.
- Sprinkle with Olive Oil, Fresh Ground Black Pepper, and Sea Salt. In lieu of Sea Salt, you could also use a sprinkling of lemon juice.
- Put the Asparagus in the oven, and set the time for 12 minutes. (12 minutes is good for medium-sized spears – if yours are extra fat give them an extra minute or two and vice versa for the petite ones).
- Heat a skillet a little above medium heat – at about a level 6.
- Coat the Halibut Cheeks with your seasoning of choice on both sides. Put a little Olive Oil in the skillet to heat, to keep the Halibut from sticking to the pan.
- When the Asparagus have 6 minutes left, put the Halibut Cheeks in the skillet. They only take 2-3 minutes per side. If you happen to have a big one in there, it might take just a minute longer. These cook quickly, so keep your eye on them! When done, they should be flaky and break apart easily with your fork.
- Plate up, and enjoy!
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The Asparagus was SO delicious, that I stopped mid-bite to give it it's very own photo :)
CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE OF HALIBUT CHEEKS AND ROASTED ASPARAGUS
Happy eating! Joey
Sleep Love Eat 
How was the seafood seasoning? I live in Seattle and would pick some up if you said it was tasty – I hate spending money on spice rubs if I haven’t tried them.
Why do you recommend Gemini fish? Is it all wild caught?
Hi Margaret! It was really good actually. It’s one of those rubs you can use a lot of and it doesn’t get overwhelming. The spices in it are: paprika, garlic, onion, parsley, mustard, turmeric, pepper, citric acid, dill and spices. I believe the fist at Gemini is all wild-caught, but call ahead just to make sure it’s what you’re looking for – the website lacks all the good information, but the owner is there often and very enthusiastic about his selection. They have both a fresh and frozen sections.