This Whitefish Recipe with Citrus Avocado Salsa is a light, healthy dish that’s easy enough for a weeknight, and fancy enough for a weekend dinner party. And it’s so pretty!
Inspiration
Citrus and avocado are a wonderful culinary combination — and fantastic with this crispy-skinned Whitefish.
The creamy avocado with juicy and tangy citrus is incredibly delicious. And that’s all the inspiration I needed to create this smashing Whitefish Citrus Avocado Salsa dish.
What is Whitefish?
- Generally “whitefish” is used as a generic name for many species of mild-flavored, white-fleshed fish. They’re found in Arctic and sub-Arctic fresh and salt water. The most valuable of these is Lake Whitefish, which live in cold, deep-water lakes in the northern United States and in Canada
- Lake Whitefish are silver freshwater fish are related to salmon and trout.
- For this recipe I used Lake Whitefish because I love how the skin crisps when it’s sautéed.
This recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again all summer long. It’s refreshing, light, gorgeous and of course, delicious.
What’s in the Citrus Avocado Salsa
- Ruby grapefruit
- orange
- avocado
- jalapeño pepper
- fresh mint
- fresh basil
- lime juice
- agave
Can you just imagine all of those fresh, bright ingredients chopped finely and and with a bite of succulent, juicy Whitefish? Or how about on a chip?
And the Sautéed Whitefish recipe . . . .
It’s sautéed in butter, cilantro and lime juice. Delicious!
Tips for Whitefish Recipe with Citrus Avocado Salsa
- I don’t typically leave the skin on fish, but on this Whitefish, the crispy skin adds another wonderful texture to the dish.
- It’s super important that you preheat the pan enough before you satué the fish. When the skin side of the fish hits the pan you should hear a sizzling sound. If you don’t, it’s not hot enough. Take it off and wait. Without the sizzle, you won’t achieve that crispy skin you want.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
More citrus and seafood recipes:
- Saffron-Orange Whitefish
- Cajun Shrimp with Cucumber Citrus Salsa
- Tomatillo Shrimp Ceviche
- Citrus Marinated Grilled Fish
This Whitefish Recipe with Citrus Avocado Salsa is a light, healthy dish that's easy enough for a weeknight, and fancy enough for a weekend dinner party. And it's so pretty!
- 1 large Ruby grapefruit, diced (click here for how to cut citrus)
- 1 large Naval orange, diced (click here for how to cut citrus)
- ¾ cup avocado, diced (click here for how to cut an avocado)
- 1 tablespoon jalapeño pepper, washed and dried, seeds removed, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, washed and dried, finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons fresh basil, washed and dried, finely chopped
- 1½ teaspoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon agave nectar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, washed and dried, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- grapeseed oil for the pan
- 4 (5-ounce) Whitefish fillets, skin on
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
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In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the salt and pepper. Mix gently and then season to taste -- take a bite, add a bit of the salt and pepper, taste again. Repeat as many times as necessary! Set aside.
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In a small bowl, mix the butter with the cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste (just as you did with the salsa), with salt and pepper, and set aside.
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Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with grapeseed oil and place it over medium-high heat. While the pan is preheating, place the fish on a large plate and use your hands to gently rub a thin coating of the cilantro butter on both sides of each fillet. (There should be about 1 tablespoon remaining -- keep this on hand!)
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Once the pan is hot, add the fish, skin side down. (You should hear a sizzling sound when the fish hits the pan -- if you don't hear the sizzle, wait! If the pan isn't hot enough, the skin won't get brown and crisp!) Flip the fish over after about 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook just until the fish is almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. It should still be slightly translucent in the center! Just before the fish is done, add any remaining cilantro butter to the pan and swirl it around.
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Serve skin side up and top each fillet with about 1/4 cup of the salsa! Serve immediately!
Fuji Mama says
I think I just need a big bowl of that salsa with a spoon and a quiet corner where my kids can’t see what I’m up to . . . .