Recipe: Blackened Cajun halibut sandwich with homemade cucumber tartar sauce

Something fishy is happening in Metro Vancouver this weekend.

Fresh St. Market is holding its B.C. Halibut Festival on Saturday at its location in Surrey at 15930 Fraser Hwy. Sunday’s event will take place in West Vancouver at 1650 Marine Drive. The festival will run 11 AM to 2 PM both days.

Chef Stu Smith dropped by Global News at Noon to show Lynn Colliar and Squire Barnes how to make a blackened Cajun halibut sandwich with homemade cucumber tartar sauce.

Serves 2

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Ingredients
2 x 200 g halibut fillets, skin removed (tail pieces preferably)
2-3 tbsp blackening spice
1 tbsp butter
2 good ciabatta buns
4-6 rings of thinly sliced red onion
1 handful of watercress
1 heirloom tomato, cut into thick slices
3 tbsp cucumber tartar sauce (recipe below)

Cucumber Tartar Sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp red onion, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
½ cucumber, seeded and peeled, and cut into ¼” cubes
1 tbsp malt (or red wine) vinegar
salt and white pepper, to taste

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to broil-high.
2. Dredge halibut fillets in blackening spice until thoroughly coated. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.
3. Place skin-side down on a roasting pan. Place halibut under the broiler, as close as you can to the heat, and allow to cook for three minutes.
4. Carefully flip halibut fillet over and allow to keep cooking, for an additional two minutes.
5. Place one generous tablespoon of butter on top of each fillet and return under the broiler for an additional minute.
6. Remove halibut from oven and allow to rest for two minutes. Meanwhile, prep your bun.
7. For the tartar sauce, thoroughly incorporate all ingredients.
8. Place tartar sauce on both sides of lightly toasted bun.
9. Place halibut fillets on heel of buns, followed by watercress, thinly sliced red onion, and heirloom tomatoes. Serve with salad.

More Global BC recipes are available here.