This Salt and Pepper Crusted Halibut with Mango Pomegranate Salsa is an easy weeknight meal that's spectacular enough for entertaining! Serve with a colourful nutritious salsa.
Make the salsa first. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside to allow flavours to blend.
Heat oven to 450°F. Remove skin from halibut, pat dry with cloth or paper towel.
Heat an ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add grapeseed oil (or other oil with a high smoke point).
When it is very hot, add the halibut pieces with the "presentation side" down and the side from which the skin was removed face up.
Sear for 2 to 3 minutes, carefully lifting it with a fish turner to check on the colour.
When it has turned golden brown, remove the pan from the heat and transfer it to a preheated 450°F. oven. Bake for 3 - 5 minutes or just until the halibut flakes easily.
Remove from the oven, flip the pieces over to lightly sear the other side, then transfer to serving plates and top with a generous serving of mango salsa.
Notes
Don't overcook halibut. It will be dry and tough. It's best to remove it from the pan or the oven when the center of the fillet is still slightly translucent. Let it rest for 5 minutes and it will come up to the desired temperature. It should flake easily with a fork and the internal temperature should read 130 to 135°F. If your fillets are thin, they may not need any time in the oven and you can serve them directly from the skillet.