Week Night Yum Yum: Low Carb Curry Halibut "Tacos"

This recipe may sound a little bizarre, but I promise it's really tasty and added bonus: low carb and low fat for all of your new year's resolutions!

I take halibut and quickly marinate it in olive oil, salt, pepper and good curry powder with some garlic and lime juice. A quick 5 minute saute in the pan with a lid on makes for a perfectly cooked fish -- soft and flaky and not overdone. The curry adds a nice warmth to the fish without overpowering its delicate flavor and texture. In place of carby tortillas I use crisp fresh lettuce leaves. For added texture I make sure to keep them nice and cold until just before serving -- the crisp coldness of the lettuce contrasts nicely to the warm fish. For more flavor and color I add pickled red onions, sliced hard-boiled eggs, fiesty jalapeno for some heat and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro to brighten up the flavors. These "tacos" are great on their own as a meal with some black beans or a fun more sustainable appetizer. Or, add a few more dishes to make a tapas-style dinner! Enjoy!

Curry Halibut "Tacos"
2 filets halibut -- boned and skinless
2 Tbsp olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper -- preferably set to a courser ground
1/2 tsp good quality curry powder
1 clove garlic, crushed or roughly chopped
juice of 1 lime
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced thinly
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thinly
fresh cilantro (optional)
1 head curly romaine lettuce (or butter lettuce), leaves left whole and washed and spun dry

for the pickled onions:
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Place the halibut, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, curry powder, garlic and lime juice in a bowl or large ziploc bag. Toss to combine, gently massaging the marinade into the fish. Let stand at least 1 hour, up to 6. When ready to cook, bring fish out onto counter for 5 minutes at room temperature to take the chill off.

To make the tacos, heat a medium-large nonstick pan to high heat. Remove the fish fillets from the marinade and shake off the garlic pieces (they will burn in the pan otherwise). Place the fish in the pan and cover with lid. Add a little more oil if you need it. Cook with lid on for 5 minutes or until fish is firm but still moist and tender and delicate. Using a spatula, roughly chop the fish up into larger bite-sized pieces.

To assemble the tacos, place a few larger lettuc leaves out on a plate or platter. Divide the fish among the lettuce leaves, then top with some egg, jalapeno, cilantro and pickled onions. Serve.

To make the pickled onions, simply combine the onion, vinegar, and salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Let stand at least 30 minutes or preferably a couple of hours to overnight. Can be stored in an air-tight container for a few days, and it only gets better with age!