Recipe(tried): Halibut with Vanilla Bean Sauce, Lemon Parsley Rice, Heart-Smart Fruit Dip, Hot and Spicy Gingerbread - Big fish in Alaska...

The reds, kings, and the first of the new halibut are in, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite recipes from our dinner tonight: Halibut with Vanilla Bean Sauce, fresh fruit chunks with heart smart dip, lemon parsley rice, and gingerbread.

HALIBUT WITH VANILLA BEAN SAUCE

1 (4 inch) piece vanilla bean, split
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
5 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 1/2 cups zucchini, matchstick cut
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. fresh basil
1 tsp. fennel seed, crushed
3/4 tsp. salt
Several ginds of pepper
1 1/2 lbs halibut, cut in steaks (about 4)

Vanilla Bean Sauce:
Scrape seeds from bean into small saucepan, add the bean, 3 tbsp. butter, 2 tbsp. olive oil; heat til butter melts and oil is hot. Remove from heat, let stand 30 min. Remove bean.

Zucchini Tomato Sauce:
In med. skillet, heat 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add onion and garlic, cook til tender, not browning, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, stir and cook about 1 min. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper; cook, stirring, about 3 min., till tomatoes soften. I put the zucchini through a shred disk in a food processor to save time.

Halibut Prep:
On a medium hot grill, place halibut steaks (I spray the steaks with olive oil or vegetable oil to minimize sticking) and cook til done, holding turning to no more than 2-3 times to prevent shredding. OR use the two remaining T olive oil heated in a large skillet to cook the fish until opaque, about 2 minutes per side if less than 1 in thick.

Place a few tablespoons of the tomato sauce on a plate, top with halibut, pour a tablespoon of the vanilla sauce over the top. Garnish with lemon slices.

LEMON PARSLEY RICE

2 1/2 cups medium or long grain rice
1/2 lemon
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temp.
3 tbsp. fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, snipped

Bring to boil 10-12 cups water in large pot, add 1 tsp. salt if desired. Add rice, stir a single time, then when boil resumes, decrease heat to maintain steady bubbling. Cook 14 minutes, drain well in colander. Immediately spoon 1/3 of the rice into a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. parsley, dot with 1 tbsp. butter, squeeze some lemon juice over rice. Repeat with two more layers. Gently fluff with two large forks before taking to table. May also add freshly ground pepper.

HEART SMART FRUIT DIP

1 (6-8 oz.) container low or nonfat (aspartame-sweetened, if desired) yogurt (a delicate flavor like peach or apricot won't overwhelm the flavors of fresh fruit)
1/2 (9 oz.) container Non-Fat Cool Whip

Mix together and refrigerate an hour before serving with chunks of fresh fruit for dipping.

HOT AND SPICY GINGERBREAD
This is a variation of Marion Cunningham's Moosehead Gingerbread. Especially good with sliced, lightly sweetened nectarines piled on top. I usually make this cake by hand, to save time and utensils, and it comes together easily.

2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. gound nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar (dark style preferred)
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease/flour 9-inch square pan.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in mixing bowl till smooth. Add eggs, beat well, then beat in molasses. Add boiling water, combined dry ingredients, beat till smooth.

Pour into pan; bake 30-35 minutes, checking the cake by pressing gently in the center for a crust that readily springs back. Cool 5 minutes in pan, cut into squares to serve.