Halibut Seafood Oscar
Halibut Seafood Oscar is a perfect date night entrée–easy, elegant and absolutely delicious. If you top a nice fish steak with crab, asparagus and hollandaise, wouldn’t it have to be amazing? 
I’ve eaten and enjoyed many “Oscar” dishes over the years–meat or seafood topped with asparagus, crab and hollandaise. But I never really thought about its history until preparing this post, when I learned that it dates back over a century. Named for Sweden’s King Oscar II, who was especially fond of its ingredients, it was first prepared around 1897, using veal (source: Wikipedia).
Since then, the toppings have come to grace many different meats. I have enjoyed (various cuts of) steak Oscar often, but seafood Oscar is less common. However, I do remember one fine restaurant that would let you “Oscar” any dish for an extra charge.
Yes, I think I’d eat almost anything like this… with the likely exception of liver!
So when I had some extra lump crab, I knew what I wanted to do. With no steak in the freezer, I asked my husband, How about a nice seafood Oscar? I ended up using halibut since it has a firm, almost steak-like, texture that I knew would hold up (though I stand by eating almost anything this way).
The dish is classy and elegant but truly simple to prepare. It’s perfect for a romantic dinner, a special family dinner or impressing your friends.
And don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is coming up! (For more date night ideas check out the links at the end)
How to Prepare Halibut Seafood Oscar
In preparing this, the only thing I was afraid of was not timing the completion of the components. In the end the asparagus and crab stayed perfect on the “warm” setting on my stovetop. Here’s how I did it.
Reheat/cook crab in butter on low.
Start asparagus steaming in a little water
Make a quick hollandaise sauce.
Pat the halibut dry, salt and pepper both sides
Start to grill fish 
Top fish with buttered breadcrumbs and broil
Top halibut with crab, asparagus and hollandaise, then enjoy.
Halibut Seafood Oscar Tips
I used about 2 ounces of lump crab per piece which I think was a perfect ratio for taste but a little messy when I tried to pile it all on top of the fish. For a less thick, but longer, piece of fish, this would be no problem. But if I do this again with a short thick cut, I plan to try letting some of the crab “spill off” the edge of the fish. 
I decided to try using a breadcrumb topping on the fish–and this really added to the flavor and texture. If I didn’t have panko, I’d go with regular breadcrumbs or even crushed saltines.
As I’ve mentioned, my main fear was that the asparagus would end up overcooked and mushy or the crab would get cold. In the end, I was able to keep everything perfect, sitting covered on warm without the asparagus going soft. I’ve now done this repeatedly with success.
I served seasoned rice as a side along with a small salad. Halibut Seafood Oscar is rich and doesn’t need many extras to be a wild success! 
Halibut Seafood Oscar
Ingredients
- ½ Tablespoon butter
- 4 ounces lump crab
- ½ pound asparagus tough ends removed and discarded
- 1 pound halibut cut into 2 fillets
- Salt pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Bread Crumb Topping:
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon melted butter
Hollandaise:
- 2 ounces hollandaise sauce (see link in notes for a quick recipe)
Instructions
- Heat the lump crab in ½ Tablespoon butter on medium-low until cooked/re-warmed, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Set pan on burner on warm and cover to keep warm
Wash and place trimmed asparagus in frying pan with about ¼ inch of water. Cook until just done, then set pan on burner on warm and cover to keep warm. - Prepare your favorite hollandaise now or use the recipe from the link in the notes.
Pat the fish dry, then season on both sides with salt and pepper. Spray a broiler safe frying pan or grill pan with non-stick spray, then cook fish on medium high until starting to turn golden, about 3-4 minutes. - Turn fish over, cook another minute, then melt 2 Tablespoons butter in pan and baste fish until almost done, another couple minutes.
Mix panko and 1 Tablespoon melted butter, then sprinkle atop the fish. Place under broiler, watching carefully until crumb mixture is browned, about 1-2 minutes.
To assemble, top fish with some crab, and a couple pieces of asparagus. Set remaining crab and asparagus alongside the fish. Top with prepared hollandaise and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Date Night Dinner Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Roll Ups by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Creamy Portobello Alfredo by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Grilled Rib Eye with Green Sauce by That Recipe
- Halibut Seafood Oscar by Art of Natural Living
- Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Mushroom Red Wine Sauce by Making Miracles
- Peppercorn Steak with Mustard-Wine Sauce by Sweet Beginnings
- Pesto Crusted Salmon by Books n’ Cooks
- Salmon with Garlic Tarragon Cream Sauce by Palatable Pastime
- Vegetable Dum Biriyani by Magical Ingredients
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This was EXACTLY what i was looking for. I did the halibut in my air fryer on bake then the breadcrumbs on broil…perfect
So glad you enjoyed Karen!
Till now, I have only had Veal Oscar – and I remember the meal vividly. It was a fancy restaurant in Rochester, NY where I went to college. It was so good. But I love that you use fish – and, although halibut is hard to fund here and OUTrageously expensive, I think (if you permit) that I will try this with salmon!
If the restaurant I mentioned will “oscar” a pork chop, salmon is a shoe in David!
What a fantastic dish!! I love everything about it and can eat it over and over!
This really is a great option for date night in! My husband would be thrilled if I made this for him – that crab is everything!
I’ve been doing this weekly with either fish or steak!
This looks good! I love creamy seafood dishes and this is all perfect to me. Great for a valentines dinner meal too as its quite easy to prepare
That’s a great meal and looks perfect!
Fish, crab, and a creamy sauce? This sounds like a dream meal to me!