What's For Dinner Tonight? {Gluten and Dairy Free} Halibut with Cherry Tomato Salsa with Cucumber Cilantro Sauce

When I decide to make this meal I look forward to it all day long.  It's adapted from one of my favorite "non-allergy-friendly" cookbooks called "Isabel's Cantina".(see it on the side bar of my blog. Some are naturally gluten-free, but many need to be adapted) It's an asian-latin american fusion. Basically it's a party in your mouth.  The flavors are so unpredictable, but the combination really is delightful. My husband doesn't even like cilantro, but he loves this dish.

• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes halved (I used grape tomatoes)
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (I lightly sautee it before adding it to salsa)
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 4 TBS olive oil
• kosher salt
• four-6oz skinless halibut fillets (or cod or tilapia)
• optional: 1 to 2 habanero chiles, to taste, halved, seeded and thinly sliced. (warning this is a HOT pepper. Instead I omit the pepper and sprinkle mine with red pepper flakes. That way my family can have theirs without being overcome with spice).
• Cucumber Cilantro sauce (see below)
• I added 1/4 coarsely chopped yellow pepper

Preheat oven to 350F

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, and mint. Drizzle with 2 TBS of the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt. Toss gently to combine.

Lightly season the fillets on both sides with salt. Heat the remaining 2 TBS oil in a large saute pan over med-high heat. Place the halibut fillets in the hot pan.  Brown for 2 minutes on each side, then transfer to the oven and bake until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes.

Put the halibut fillets on plates and top with a scoop of the tomato salsa. Spoon some of the cucumber-cilantro sauce around the fish. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Cucumber Cilantro sauce

• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup peeled cucumber
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons). I use pomegranate juice instead.
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Puree the cilantro, cucumber, lemon juice (or pomegranate), olive oil and salt in a food processor or blender until almost smooth with just a bit of texture. Cover and refrigerate until serving or up to 2 days. (I sometimes freeze it if I have extra).  This sauce is nice and creamy.

I serve this with rice, and a veggie like sauteed cabbage.