Serves 4

Here’s something for the other white meat, halibut. This recipe is from a new favorite cookbook, “Fast Fish,” by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison.

Ingredients for sauce:

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup tequila

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 fresh diced jalapeno pepper

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 lime sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tsp. cumin seeds or 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

In a saucepan combine above ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

1 1/2 pounds halibut filets

Add the fish to the pan on the burner, cover and remove from the stove. After 10 minutes, transfer the fish to dinner plates.

Pass half the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large sauté pan. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.

Spoon the sauce over the fish.

1 tsp. grated orange zest

1 tsp. grated lime zest for garnish

1 avocado, cut into slices

Sprinkle the orange and lime zests over the top. Serve with the avocado slices.

Serves 6

Here is a fun recipe from my new favorite salmon cookbook entitled, “Salmon”, by Diane Morgan, that uses grilled salmon. Try this recipe with a group of friends over the holiday weekend with a big pitcher of margaritas.

Ingredients:

1 salmon filet (1 1/2 pounds) skin on and scaled, pin bones removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup blackening spice (see recipe on page 7B)

Vegetable oil for brushing

12 corn tortillas

1/2 head cabbage, 8 ounces, cored and finely shredded (about 5 cups)

3 green onions, including green tops, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch lengths.

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 ripe tomatoes, halved crosswise, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

chipotle sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium. Arrange the salmon, skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Oil the skin generously with about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Turn the salmon over and rub the flesh side all over with the blackening spice. Using your fingertips, lightly dab the remaining olive oil over the blackening spice.

When ready to grill, brush the grill grate generously with vegetable oil. Grill the salmon, skin side up, directly over the fire. Cover the grill and cook on one side for 4 minutes. Turn and cover again. Cook about 5 minutes more, until almost opaque throughout, but still very moist, or when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 125-130 degrees F. Transfer to cutting board and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, place the tortillas in a covered heatproof container or sealed aluminum foil packet. Warm the tortillas in the oven for 15 minutes before serving.

In a medium glass bowl, toss together the cabbage, green onions, and lime juice. Place the tomatoes in a small serving bowl. Slice the salmon crosswise into 12 strips, lift the salmon off its skin and arrange on a warm plate. Discard the skin. Transfer the warm tortillas to a serving plate. Let each diner assemble her own tortilla. To assemble, spread a generous spoonful of sauce down the middle of each tortilla, arrange a strip of salmon on top, mound with a bit of the cabbage mixture, and garnish with some diced tomatoes.

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons buttermilk or sour cream

2 minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

In a small serving bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, buttermilk or sour cream, chipotle chilies, cilantro and salt.

Cover and set aside for up to 45 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

This makes a great spice blend you can use on other seafood, and is also good rubbed into flank steak, pork or burgers.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and stir well to blend. Store in an airtight jar in a cool place up to six months.

Serves 4

Here’s a fast halibut recipe the kids will love.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds filleted halibut cut into finger lengths, about 3 inches long and 1 inch thick

1/2 cup melted butter in a small bowl

1 bag regular potato chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place potato chips in large zip-loc bag, leaving end half-way open. With a rolling pin, roll back and forth over chips to crush. Transfer to a plate or pie plate.

Take each finger of halibut, dip in melted butter and then roll through crushed potato chips.

Lie on cookie sheet and repeat until halibut is all coated.

Bake in hot oven about 5 minutes.

Serve with tartar sauce.

Makes one 9-inch pie

Life is just not complete without dessert. Here’s a yummy pie to serve after all that great fish.

Ingredients for the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1 cup chopped pecans

Ingredients for the apple filling:

5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the cream cheese topping:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Ingredients for the topping:

3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup caramel topping

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

For the crust: In a medium size bowl, combine the crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Mix well and press into a 10-inch pie plate, and up the sides. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until golden in color. Remove pie shell from oven and cool completely. Pour caramel into pie shell and sprinkle with 1 cup of chopped pecans. Refrigerate pie shell while making apple filling.

For the apple filling: In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add apples and stir. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes until apples are softened and tender. Let cool for 10 minutes and pour into pie shell. Reduce oven to 350F.

For the cream cheese topping: In a medium bowl, using a hand held mixer on low speed, combine cream cheese and sugar for about one minute until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice and vanilla and beat for one more minute until fully blended. Pour over apple filling in pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean. Remove pie from oven and let cool. Refrigerate for four hours. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

To make the topping: Whip the heavy cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream, caramel and pecans and swirl with a knife. Slice and serve.