Perfect Pacific Halibut Recipe with Caviar Sauce & Roasted Squash
Pacific Halibut with Caviar Sauce and Roasted Squash
Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) is one of the largest flatfish in the world and one of the most prized white fish on the West Coast — firm, lean, and mild with large, pearlescent flakes when cooked correctly. Paired with a classic beurre blanc-style caviar sauce and nutmeg-scented roasted squash, this dish is a showcase of restraint: each element is simple, but the combination is genuinely restaurant-quality. Chef Vlad guides the preparation throughout.
Mercury note: Pacific halibut is FDA "Good Choices" — moderate mercury. Recommended: 1 serving per week for adults; eat less frequently if pregnant, nursing, or feeding young children. Source: FDA Advice About Eating Fish.
Nutrition (per 6 oz / 170g Pacific halibut, approximate): ~190–210 calories; ~36g lean protein; ~4g fat. Contains omega-3 fatty acids (approximately 400–600mg EPA+DHA per 6 oz — meaningful but moderate; Pacific halibut is a lean white fish, not a fatty fish). Notably good source of vitamin D (approximately 600–1,000 IU per 6 oz — among the higher sources for a white fish), selenium, and potassium.
Products: Pacific Halibut Fillets • Caviar Collection.
About the caviar sauce
The sauce is a reduced cream beurre blanc base — shallot, white wine, cream, and butter, reduced to a coating consistency — finished with caviar folded in off the heat. The off-heat step is non-negotiable: caviar eggs are heat-sensitive. Added to a hot or simmering sauce, the eggs harden immediately, burst, release their fat, and lose their delicate briny pop and texture. The sauce base can be made ahead; the caviar must be folded in only at the last moment, immediately before plating.
For high-quality caviar: Global Seafoods Caviar Collection. Salmon roe is an affordable and excellent alternative for this sauce — its larger beads pop beautifully and its briny, slightly oceanic flavor complements halibut well.
Ingredients (serves 4)
Halibut: 4 Pacific halibut fillets (6 oz / 170g each, skin-on, approximately 1–1.25 inches thick); salt and white pepper; 2 tbsp neutral high-smoke-point oil (grapeseed or avocado oil preferred over olive oil for high-heat searing) plus 1 tbsp unsalted butter for basting.
Caviar sauce: 1 shallot, finely minced; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed; 2 tbsp caviar or salmon roe; white pepper; squeeze of lemon juice.
Roasted squash: 2 medium butternut or acorn squashes, peeled and cubed (approx. 3/4–1 inch cubes); 2 tbsp olive oil; salt; black pepper; pinch of freshly grated nutmeg; optional: pinch of brown sugar for extra caramelization.
Recipe
Step 1 — Roast the squash first at 400°F / 200°C for 25–30 min (this runs concurrently with prep): Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg (and optional brown sugar). Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet — do not pile; crowding steams rather than caramelizes. Roast 25–30 min, turning once at the 15-minute mark, until edges are deeply caramelized and cubes are tender throughout with a slight resistance at the center. Keep warm. This step can be done entirely ahead and reheated at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.
Step 2 — Make the caviar sauce base (without caviar); set aside: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter. Sauté shallot until very soft and translucent, 3–4 minutes — do not brown. Add white wine; bring to a simmer; reduce until almost completely evaporated (about 1 tbsp remains). Add heavy cream; simmer until reduced by one-third and the sauce coats a spoon. Off the heat, whisk in the cold cubed butter one piece at a time until emulsified and glossy. Season with white pepper and a small squeeze of lemon. Do not add the caviar yet — set the base aside. Reheat gently (below a simmer) and fold in caviar only when the halibut is plated and ready to serve.
Step 3 — Sear halibut skin-side down over medium-high heat; baste with butter; target 130–135°F internal: Pat fillets completely dry with paper towels — surface moisture prevents browning. Season flesh side generously with salt and white pepper; season skin side with a pinch of salt. Heat an oven-safe skillet (stainless or cast iron) over medium-high heat; add neutral oil. When oil shimmers, place fillets skin-side down; press gently for 10 seconds to prevent curling. Sear 3 minutes skin-side down without moving until skin is golden and crispy and releases naturally. Flip; add 1 tbsp butter to the pan; tilt and baste the flesh side with the foaming butter for 2–2.5 minutes. For thicker fillets (1.5 inches), finish 3–4 minutes in the 400°F oven after the skin-side sear. Target internal temperature: 130–135°F / 54–57°C for restaurant-quality moist, just-set flakes. FDA minimum safe temperature is 145°F; at 145°F the halibut is safe but the flakes begin to separate and the texture becomes drier — pull at 130–135°F for optimal texture. Rest 2 minutes before plating (carry-over will bring it to ~138–40°F).
Step 4 — Fold caviar into the warm sauce immediately before plating: Gently rewarm the sauce base over the lowest heat possible (just below a simmer — the butter emulsion will break if it boils). Remove from heat. Fold in the caviar with a silicone spatula in 2–3 gentle folds — do not stir vigorously. The caviar eggs should remain intact. Plate immediately — the sauce should not sit with caviar in it for more than 2–3 minutes.
Step 5 — Plate: squash base, halibut flesh-side up, caviar sauce drizzled over: Spoon a generous portion of roasted squash in the center of each warm plate. Place the halibut fillet on top flesh-side up (the golden-seared flesh side is the presentation face; skin side down or remove the skin entirely before plating for fine dining presentation). Drizzle the caviar sauce generously over the halibut and let it pool slightly around the squash. Garnish with a sprig of dill or chervil and a small lemon wedge. Serve immediately.
Wine pairing: white Burgundy or lightly oaked Chardonnay (mirrors the butter sauce); Champagne or Blanc de Blancs (the bubbles and acidity cut the richness and complement the caviar beautifully — the classic pairing for caviar in any form); dry Albarino.
Videos: Global Seafoods YouTube Channel.
Related Products
Also in Video
Salmon Tender Monroe: Inside a Suquamish Tribal Vessel Unloading Wild Salmon
The Salmon Tender Monroe is a Suquamish Nation vessel operating in Puget Sound — collecting wild salmon from tribal fishing boats and delivering them to shore. This is the story of a living treaty right, a working vessel, and the wild salmon that have sustained the Suquamish people for thousands of years.
Vietnam Fisherman: Small Boat Leaving Lang Co Bay for the Night Catch
As the sun drops behind the Hải Vân Pass, a lone Vietnamese fisherman pushes off from Lang Co Bay and heads into the darkness of the South China Sea. This is the story of a single boat, a single night, and the ancient rhythm of fishing that still feeds communities across central Vietnam.
Lang Co, Vietnam: Inside the Coastal Fishing Life That Feeds a Nation
Lang Co is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful and storied fishing communities — a narrow strip of land between a turquoise lagoon and the South China Sea. This is the story of the fishermen, their boats, and the wild seafood traditions that have sustained this village for generations.
Shop Now
Main
