Chili-Spiced Grilled Halibut with Grilled-Corn Saucy Salsa
4 ears of corn, shucked
5 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus some for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar [I used Splenda, mostly because it’s what I had on hand.]
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock or broth [I really prefer the flavor of stock over the flavor of broth.]
1 tablespoon chili powder (a palmful)
4 6-ounce 1-inch halibut fillets (1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (a generous handful), chopped
Juice of 2 limes
Preheat a grill pan or outside grill to high. [We used the outside grill.]
Drizzle the shucked corncobs with a little of the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the shucked corn on the grill. Turn the corn and char on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. [It’s easiest to do this on the hottest part of your grill. It doesn’t have to be cooked through yet, just charred on the outside.] Remove from the grill and let cool enough so that you can handle them.
While the corn is grilling, preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, jalapeno, bell peppers, and brown sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable or chicken stock and continue to cook for about 4 minutes.
For the halibut, in a shallow dish combine the remaining two tablespoons of vegetable oil with the chili powder and a little salt. Add the fish and coat thoroughly. Place the seasoned halibut on the grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
With a knife, cut the charred corn kernels from the cobs. Add the corn kernels to the skillet with the onion mixture, stir, and continue to cook for about 2 to 3 more minutes, or until the corn is cooked through. Add the cilantro and lime juice and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
Serve the grilled halibut with some of the grilled-corn saucy salsa over the top.
4 Servings.
