Halibut with Warm Bean Salad 
Serves 4 • Cooking Time 1 to 2 hours on Low • Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For this healthy fish dinner, we gently cooked meaty halibut fillets on a bed of creamy white beans flavored by shallot, lemon zest, and bay leaves. In the short time it took the fish to cook through perfectly, the beans absorbed the flavors of the cooking liquid. After removing the fish from the slow cooker, we finished our side dish by draining the beans and tossing them with a zesty dressing and green beans (which we steamed in the microwave, leaving them tender and not too crunchy). The classic combination of honey and Dijon mustard thickened the dressing enough to coat the beans without having to use a lot of oil. The final addition of briny kalamata olives paired well with fresh tarragon, intensifying the overall flavor of our dish. Use halibut fillets of similar thickness so that they cook at the same rate. Cod and haddock are good substitutes for the halibut. Check the halibut’s temperature after 1 hour of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 140 degrees. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
1 |
(15-ounce) can small white beans, rinsed |
1 |
shallot, sliced thin |
2 |
(2-inch) strips lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice |
2 |
bay leaves |
4 |
(6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick |
4 |
teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil |
Salt and pepper |
|
8 |
ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths |
2 |
tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon |
1 |
teaspoon Dijon mustard |
1 |
teaspoon honey |
2 |
tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives |
1. Stir white beans, ½ cup water, shallot, lemon zest, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Rub halibut with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Nestle halibut into slow cooker, cover, and cook until halibut flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 degrees, 1 to 2 hours on low.
2. Meanwhile, microwave green beans with 1 tablespoon water in covered bowl, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain green beans and return to now-empty bowl. Whisk remaining 2 teaspoons oil, lemon juice, tarragon, mustard, and honey together in separate bowl.
3. Gently remove halibut from slow cooker and transfer to plates. Discard lemon zest. Drain white bean mixture and transfer to bowl with green beans. Add dressing and olives and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Per serving:
Cal 330
Fat 11g
Sat Fat 1.5g
Chol 55mg
Carb 19g
Protein 41g
Fiber 5g
Sodium 640mg
*To reduce sodium level to 460mg, use low-sodium beans.