Tonight’s dinner redeemed the entire day. I wish I were exaggerating, but that should give you a sense for my degree of frustration prior to dinner, and the degree to which this recipe made my mouth water and my tastebuds sing.

I don’t like fish in general. I want to like fish, but let’s face it – I grew up in the middle of the prairie, lacking access to most fish other than the kind that comes from the Schwan’s man. Salmon is one of the few things I refuse to eat.  Like kale, though, I know that many fish are outrageously good for you, so I’m trying.

Tonight’s dish – Moroccan Halibut with Carrots, from the November 2009 Bon Appetit – was hopefully the first in a long line of game-changers where fish is concerned.  The halibut was flaky and buttery, with a firm but tender texture.  The cinnamon and cayenne gave the dish some heat, which was nicely balanced by the mint and our glasses of Viognier.  The lemon juice made the whole thing sing.  At less than 300 calories, I felt snackish about two hours later, but nothing Christmas mint brownies from the freezer couldn’t fix.

Recipe:
Moroccan Halibut with Carrots from Bon Appetit