Halibut Poached in Coconut Lemongrass Broth

You know what happens when you eat really really yummy rich food nonstop? 

You run a serious risk of becoming a chunky monkey.

In my desire to remain cheeky (and not chunky), I'm working out with one of those insane people you hear about -- really enthusiastic, peppy and given to joy at exercising at five thirty in the morning (where do these people come from?).  I'm getting my ass kicked.  Sixty minutes with her twice a week makes everything else I do during the week -- yoga and cardio -- pale in comparison.

So she tells me I need to start protein loading on nights before a workout but warns me not to cut out carbs (who does she think she's talking to?).  I'm cool with that.

I'm really fond of steamed or poached fish with an accompaniement of braised or sauteed veggies.  I first made this a few months ago when David, Greg and Alice came for dinner.  The coconut lemongrass broth is just a quick trick my mom taught me once when I expressed a desire for a flavorful broth.  Simply:  lemongrass stalks infusing a (homemade) vegetable broth and several tablespoons of coconut milk added for creaminess.  The fish is gently poached in this broth and served with a side of sauteed bok choy.  Just for the sheer heck of it, I used my blowtorch to crisp up the skin.  It worked pretty well but I'm sure there's a better way.

Hard to complain about eating well when it tastes this good to me.  And tomorrow morning:  to the pain.

Comments

[Geneve]

This I have to try. For all the fish that I eat, I never use the poaching method. I guess my experience eating poached anything has been sort of bland but this broth sounds so flavorful. I love the blowtorch technique too. I gotta get one of those ;).
Good luck w/ the workout - sounds hardcore!

[Ivonne]

I'm glad to hear that you, being wise and intelligent, are being good to yourself but not cutting carbs or any of that other nonsense!

And you know ... there's just not enough halibut in my life. Thanks for the recipe.

[beastmomma]

Props to you for making it to those early morning workouts. Also impressed that your muscles are not screaming in pain as you go through the motions of preparing food.

[cath]

Geneve, I'm much more partial to fish that's been steamed or poached. The broth is wonderful and especially when spooned over the fish. The blowtorch technique is just idiocy on my part for lack of something better to do. :-)

Ivonne -- no WAY am I cutting carbs! They are my friends!

Jaspreet -- babe, my muscles are screaming all the time. As I noted to Greg recently, if I want to be in great shape, being in pain all the time appears to be the trick. Because if I'm not in pain, thenI'm not working out, right? Ack.

[Gabriella]

divine divine divine!!

[Joanne]

Hi Cathy..I'm Kristie's mom. She told me that you made some wonderful waffles this morning for Annette's Birthday. Just wanted to thank you for feeding my baby!!! Someday I will come to Columbus to meet you. Again Thank you

[cath]

Gabriella -- you are so sweet!

Joanne, it was such a pleasure to meet Kristie finally -- I told her to come back to Annette's and we'd have a big meal that I'll cook in Annette's honor. Will you come too?

[Joanne]

Cath..I will be more than happy to come. We will plan it for sometime soon. I would love to meet you.

[sygyzy]

I am not sure how the skin can crisp since it was poached. You'd have to evacuate all that moisture it absorbed through steaming. What if you skinned it and crisped that up separately and served it as a garnish?