It’s halibut season! Enjoy the flaky fishy with this recipe originally prepared at the Portland Better Living Home and Garden Show where Chef Steve Brockman demonstrated his culinary skills. It will excite your taste buds with bright, spring flavors of grapefruit, fennel, and asparagus.

Can you say YUM?

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Lox Ingredients

1 pound fresh halibut
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (toasted & crushed)
1 teaspoon fennel seed (toasted & crushed)
½ cup mint (chopped)
½ cup parsley (chopped)
1 teaspoon hopped grapefruit bitters*
1 tablespoon grapefruit juice

* In Portland, Oregon, Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit Bitters can be found at The Meadow. You can also purchase online.

Lox  Instructions

1. Combine sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, and fennel seed.
2. Rub grapefruit juice and bitters on halibut.
3. Place halibut in a shallow pan, one that you can place an even weight on it.
4. Apply sugar-salt mixture to the fish, it should cover the fish liberally.
5. Press mint and parsley onto the salt mixture.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and place an even weight on it.
7. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
8. Remove the fish from the pan and wipe the mixture from the fish, rinse under cold water, pat dry with paper towels.
9. Slice very thin.

Asparagus Slaw Ingredients

½ cup asparagus (sliced very thin)
¼ cup fennel (sliced very thin)
¼ cup green onion (sliced very thin)

Vinaigrette

¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 grapefruit
5 drops of hopped grapefruit bitters
1 teaspoon honey
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Make vinaigrette by whisking together all ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the asparagus, fennel, and green onion.
3. Add the vinaigrette to slaw just enough to moisten.

You might also like:

• Find other recipes in “Festive Fare”
• See pictures of Vibrant Table cuisine in our Galleries
• Peruse Vibrant Table catering menus