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? Halibut Seafood Oscar

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 sidesStart 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

Halibut Seafood Oscar is a perfect date nightentrée--easy & delicious. Topped with crab, asparagus & hollandaise, italmost has to be amazing!


Author: Inger
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 556 kcal

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

Click for recipe for quick hollandaise

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 57gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 190mgSodium: 990mgPotassium: 1352mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1635IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 3mg
I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
 

Date Night Dinner Recipes

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Halibut Seafood Oscar is a perfect date night entrée--easy & delicious. Topped with crab, asparagus & hollandaise, it has to be amazing!

10 thoughts on “Halibut Seafood Oscar

  1. Karen Hodges

    This was EXACTLY what i was looking for. I did the halibut in my air fryer on bake then the breadcrumbs on broil…perfect

  2. David Scott Allen

    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!

    1. Inger Post author

      If the restaurant I mentioned will “oscar” a pork chop, salmon is a shoe in David!

  3. Liz @ Books n' Cooks

    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!

  4. Raymund

    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

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating





css.php