Sweet ‘N Sour Pan-Roasted Halibut with Sesame Butter Noodles Recipe
- by Chef David Rose
- Last updated Jul 18, 2024
Stuck in a flavor fatigue rut? This sweet ‘n sour pan-roasted halibut with sesame butter noodles recipe is just the dish to help you break free! From the flavor-packed, homemade sweet ‘n sour sauce and the mild, crunchy halibut to the chewy and savory simplicity of perfectly prepared sesame butter noodles, your taste buds won’t know what hit them!
Why We Love This Halibut Recipe
There are a lot of seafood recipes and a lot of noodle recipes, but so rarely do they come together to form a perfect union like they do here. In addition to its amazing flavor profile, this dish features two distinct textures that complement each other wonderfully. The combination of crunchy, firm, and mild halibut with soft and chewy sesame noodles delivers a bite you’ll never forget.
Tools You’ll Need Before You Start
- 1 Medium Bowl
- Whisk
- 1 Medium Pan
- 1 Medium Pot
- Strainer
- 1 Large Pan
How to Make Sweet ‘N Sour Pan-Roasted Halibut with Sesame Butter Noodles
While halibut does feature a very mild flavor, that doesn’t mean just any fillet will do. To truly achieve a next-level experience, we prepared this dish with Omaha Steaks Wild Halibut Fillets. Wild-caught off the Pacific coast and cut and flash-frozen within 12 hours for guaranteed freshness, these fillets are low in fat and sodium and high in delicate, flaky texture. When prepared properly, they’re 100% guaranteed to make your day. If this is your first time making a seafood dish, the Omaha Steaks Beginner’s Guide to Seafood will make you a nautical food pro!
1. Embrace the Power of Sweet ‘N Sour
This dish just wouldn’t be the same without the complexity and depth of this homemade sweet ‘n sour sauce. What makes it so amazing? From the spicy sweet chili sauce and hot and robust rice wine vinegar to the savory, umami-packed soy sauce, the liquid components of this sweet ‘n sour sauce each bring their own wonderful flavors.
Then there are the vegetables to consider: delicate and sweet shallots, pungent and earthy garlic, and mild, yet peppery, green onions. But what really brings it all together is the combination of salty, tangy red miso paste, peppery and spicy ginger root, caramel brown sugar, and, of course, the 50-100k Scoville units heat of red Thai bird’s eye chili pepper.
The best part? Preparing this sauce couldn’t be any simpler! Just add all your sweet ’n sour sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until fully incorporated. Then pour the mixture into a medium pan, bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for three minutes and then remove from heat allow to cool to room temperature – and that’s it!
2. Open Sesame (Noodles)!
Plain noodles need not apply. This dish is all about flavor and these easy-to-prepare sesame noodles will not disappoint! They may look like spaghetti, but don’t be fooled. Lo mein noodles are made with wheat flour, water, and egg and deliver a fat, chewy texture. To prepare them, cook in salted water until al dente, which should take about five to six minutes, then drain and toss with your creamy butter, savory soy sauce, nutty and earthy sesame oil, and spicy hot chili oil. Serve these delicious noodles with your halibut while they’re still warm!
3. Reel in Your Halibut
Seafood has a variety of different flavor profiles, and you need the right one to complement this unique recipe – that’s where Omaha Steaks Wild Halibut Fillets’ mild taste shines. To prepare this firm fish, pat your thawed fillets dry with a paper towel and allow then to come to room temperature over 20 to 25 minutes. Next, season them on both sides with salt and pepper and then dredge them on all four side with corn starch, which will produce a nice crispy coating for a satisfying crunch!
Now that your halibut is seasoned and coated, add grapeseed oil (which has a high smoke-point for smoke-free cooking) to a large pan, bring it to medium-high heat, and add your fillets. Sear them until they’re lightly browned, which should take two to three minutes. Next, add your butter to the pan, swirling until it’s evenly distributed, and then flip the halibut and butter-baste it for about 30 seconds.
Continue to cook your fillets for another two to three minutes, or until they’ve reached medium doneness – or cook for longer if you want them more done. Have a case of seafood doneness intimidation? Omaha Steaks Seafood Cooking Chart makes it easy!
Finally, plate your perfectly cooked halibut on a bed of warm sesame noodles, spoon about two ounces of your homemade sweet ‘n sour sauce over them, and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds and eat up!
Sweet ‘N Sour Pan-Roasted Halibut with Sesame Butter Noodles
Ingredients
Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce
- 4 oz. sweet chili sauce
- 4 oz. rice wine vinegar
- 2 oz. soy sauce
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 stalks green onion, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon red miso paste
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 small red Thai bird’s eye chili pepper, finely minced
Sesame Noodles
- 8 oz. dried lo mein noodles
- 2 oz. unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil
Halibut
- 2 Omaha Steaks Wild Halibut Fillets
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 3 oz. corn starch
- 2 oz. grapeseed oil
- 2 oz. unsalted butter
- Sesame seeds
- 2 green onion stalks, thinly sliced
Instructions
Sweet ‘N Sour Sauce
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Pour contents into medium-sized pan, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Sesame Noodles
- Cook lo mein noodles in salted water until al dente, about 5 to 6 minutes, drain water completely, then toss with butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, and hot chili oil. Serve warm with halibut.
Halibut
- Gently pat halibut fillets dry with paper towel and allow them to come to room temperature, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Season halibut on both sides with salt and pepper, and dredge on all 4 sides with corn starch.
- In a large pan, add grapeseed oil and bring to medium-high heat. Sear until lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add butter, swirl around pan, then flip halibut and butter baste for about 30 seconds. Continue to cook another 2 to 3 minutes until medium-done, or longer for desired doneness.
- Plate halibut on a bed of sesame noodles and spoon about 2 oz. of sweet ‘n sour sauce over fillets. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
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