Steven Raichlen's Spiced Halibut Grilled in Banana Leaves-IBBQ

Steven Raichlen's Spiced Halibut Grilled in Banana Leaves-IBBQ

iBBQ Barbie Q logoSPICED HALIBUT GRILLED IN BANANA LEAVES

Source: Steven Raichlen

This spiced halibut will elevate your barbecue to a sophisticated dinner party with the clever method of packaging each serving in banana leaves. This will keep your grill clean and make it look pretty too! Mouth-watering flavor renders this recipe a win-win-win.
Spiced halibut in banana leaves by Steven Raichlen for iBBQ
Steven Raichlen's Spiced Halibut Grilled in Banana Leaves. Photo by Chris Bierlein.

   

Serves: 8 

For the spice paste:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

A 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and rough chopped

4 shallots, peeled and rough chopped

6 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and rough chopped, or 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

4 cloves garlic, peeled and rough chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons sriracha

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

For the fish:

8 6- to 7-ounce pieces of halibut, each about 6 by 2 inches and 3/4 inch thick

Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper

8 rectangular pieces of banana leaf, each about 12 by 14 inches

1. Make the spice paste: Place the cilantro, ginger, shallots, lemongrass, garlic, black pepper, soy sauce, and sriracha in a food processor and grind to a fine paste, running the machine in short bursts.  Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat, then add the spice paste. Fry until dark and fragrant, stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir in the coconut milk.

2. Transfer the spice paste to a plate or bowl and let cool to room temperature. Using a spoon or spatula, thickly spread each piece of fish on both sides with the spice paste.

3. Light your Angara grill and heat to high.

surface shot of iBBQ's Angara Maximus grill table
iBBQ's Angara Maximus grill table: Perfect for fun Social Grilling parties and sophisticated yet easy meals.

4. If using fresh banana leaves, warm on each side for 10 seconds to soften the leaf. Skip this step if using frozen leaves. Lay a banana leaf square, dark side down, on your work surface. Place a piece of halibut in the center. Fold over one side, then the other, to encase the fish. Then pin each end with a toothpick to seal the package. Each package will be about 7 inches by 4 inches. The fish packages can be prepared several hours ahead and refrigerated until grilling.   

5. Arrange the banana leaf packages, smooth side down, and grill until nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes.    Turn the packages over and grill the same way - total cooking time should be 6 to 10 minutes.     To test for doneness, insert a metal skewer through the side of one packet and leave it for 15 seconds: it should come out very hot to the touch.

6.Serve the fish in the banana leaf. Let each eater open his or her own package.

Stay tuned for Tuna Tacos with Tequila Crema next Thursday!

See all of Steven Raichlen's Signature Recipes for iBBQ on Barbie Q.