Cajun Halibut with Praline Sauce and Dirty Rice

By lorik

Ingredients

• For the Sauce:
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp dark rum
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• For the Fish:
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 tsp dried garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 Halibut fillets (6 oz each)
• For the Rice:
• 1/2 lb bulk Italian sausage
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups dry converted white rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
• salt and cayenne to taste

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Saute sausage in oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat 2-3 minutes. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until soft, 1-2 minutes. Stir in rice, saute 1 minute, then add broth, bay leaf, and seasonings; cover, and simmer 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and add scallions.

Preheat grill to medium high, oil grates liberally with vegetable oil to help fish from sticking.

Toast pecans in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat until golden, 3-4 minutes; remove from heat and set aside. Simmer sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes; stir in pecans and salt, and cook 1-2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in rum and butter. (Sauce will thicken upon standing; reheat gently over low before serving.)

Combine oil with paprika, thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Brush mixture over the fish; grill until cooked through and fillets release easily from the grate, about 3 minutes per side. Drizzle warm sauce over fish before serving.