Seared Halibut with Cilantro-Dill pesto, Sweet Potato Mash and Local Hazelmere Greens

Who’s on a cleanse? I am, but I ain’t starvin, that’s fo damn sho! The trick to successful cleansing is to be prepared. You do have to spend more time in the kitchen, but that can be seen as an opportunity to broaden your culinary horizons, and exert a little self-love and nutrition appreciation in the process!

Cleanse or not, this meal was epic. Local halibut is abundant on Vancouver Island these days, and there is increasing awareness around the necessity of promoting local foods. Hazelmere Farms is run by a local Taiwanese couple who grow an incredible variety of foods, including certified organic wasabi root, mountain yam, a bumper crop of celeriac, and the Worlds’ Best Salad Mix, with at least 12 varieties of usual and unusual greens. These are complimented beautifully by the rooting, grounding qualities of sweet potato. Enjoy!

serves 2

Preparation time: 45 mins, including pesto

2c cubed, cooked sweet potato
1 tbsp butter
3/4c onion, chopped
salt to taste

2 5oz halibut filets, or other local white fish
1 tsp butter

Salad Dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp flax oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Salad Greens


Cilantro Pesto:
see the very bottom of this blog for recipe. Substitute half of the cilantro with fresh dill, if desired and in season.


In a frying pan, saute the onions in heated butter with a pinch of salt. After about 5 minutes, when the onions start to turn translucent, add the cooked sweet potato. As you stir, also mash with the back of your spoon. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper liberally. When they’re close to done, heat 1 tsp of butter in a separate pan. Salt each side of the fish. Sear the halibut filets on med-high heat, for approximately 3 minutes on each side (depending on thickness of filet). Without fully tearing the fish, you can gently tease apart a bit of the centre of the filet to see if it’s cooked through. DON’T OVERCOOK YOUR FISH!!

For the salad dressing, simply combine all the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigourously. This emulsifies the liquid, making it opaque, dissolving the salt and marrying the flavours.

To serve, toss the greens in the dressing. Plate even amounts of sweet potato, stack your halibut on top, and garnish with cilantro pesto. Accompany with copious amounts of deliciously fresh greens...
mmmMMMMM!!!!!