Greenland • Regional Dish • Seafood

Greenlandic Halibut

Broil firm halibut and serve it over a quick tomato sauce with a spoonful of mustard cream for a clean, lightly rich finish.

Servings4

Prep Time15 min

Cook Time25 min

DifficultyEasy

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Ingredients

US Metric

1 1/3 lb Greenland halibut fillets

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 3/4 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp basil, chopped

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1/2 tsp fine salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

600 g Greenland halibut fillets

15 ml olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

800 g ripe tomatoes, chopped

5 g sugar

2 g fresh thyme leaves

6 g basil, chopped

125 ml whipping cream

30 ml wholegrain mustard

3 g fine salt

1 g black pepper

Instructions

Pat the halibut dry and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce. Heat the oven broiler on high and place a rack about 12 cm below the heat.
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not browned.
Add the tomatoes, sugar and thyme. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes collapse and the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in half the basil, then season with 1 g salt and 0.5 g pepper. Keep warm.
Whip the cream to soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Fold in the mustard, 1 g of salt, and 0.5 g of pepper. The mixture should hold its shape but still spoon easily.
Place the halibut on a lightly oiled baking tray. Season with the remaining 1 g of salt and a pinch of pepper. Spread a thin layer of mustard cream over the top of each fillet.
Broil the halibut for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness, until the surface turns lightly golden and the fish just flakes at the center. Do not overcook it.
Spoon the hot tomato sauce into shallow bowls or plates. Set the halibut on top. Add a small spoonful of the remaining mustard cream and finish with the rest of the basil. Serve at once.

Cultural Context

Greenland halibut is one of the great cold-water fish of Greenland, right up there with Arctic char and cod. In coastal communities, fish isn’t a culinary accessory. It’s daily food, practical protein and dinner that didn’t need a marketing department.

This version keeps things simple: broiled halibut, a tomato sauce with onion, shallot and herbs, and a mustard cream on the side. That restraint suits the fish. Halibut is lean and mild, so the goal is careful cooking: just flaky, still moist and not bullied by the sauce.

Fun Fact

Greenland halibut is a deepwater flatfish that spawns far below the surface, often at 700 to 1,500 meters, which helps explain why it became such an important catch in Greenland’s cold offshore fisheries rather than a simple near-shore staple.

Cook’s Tip

Use another firm white fish if Greenland halibut is unavailable. Canned whole tomatoes work well when ripe fresh tomatoes are weak. Do not whip the cream to stiff peaks or it will sit too heavily on the fish.

Trivia

Greenland’s offshore halibut fishery has operated since the mid-1960s in Baffin Bay and the Davis Strait, tying one fish directly to two of the Arctic’s best-known fishing grounds.

About This Recipe

A fresh serving of global recipes, food stories, quizzes and delicious discoveries.

Greenlandic Halibut

Instructions

Cultural Context

Fun Fact

Cook’s Tip

Trivia

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