Fish in Wine Casserole
Submitted by Ladypilot00
Microwave fish casserole with halibut poached in white wine, covered in a creamy butter sauce with peas, and topped with crispy fried noodles. A retro weeknight dinner ready in 45 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minThis microwave fish casserole gets halibut on the table in 45 minutes with no oven required. The fish poaches in white wine and onion, then gets draped in a creamy butter-flour sauce made from the poaching liquid, studded with peas, and topped with crunchy fried Chinese noodles.
The clever part is using the fish’s own poaching liquid as the sauce base. After the halibut cooks in wine and butter, you drain the pan juices, add enough milk to bring it to ¾ cup, and build a roux-based sauce from that concentrated, wine-infused liquid. Every drop of fish and wine flavor goes back into the dish.
The fried noodle topping is an unexpected touch that adds a salty crunch against the creamy sauce and tender fish. They go on at the very end, just a minute in the microwave to warm through so they stay crispy.
Kitchen Tips
- Cut the halibut into 2-inch pieces so they cook evenly in the microwave. Large chunks have cold spots in the center.
- Stir the sauce every couple of minutes during the microwave thickening step. Microwaves heat unevenly, and unstirred sauce gets lumpy on the edges.
- Add the peas to the sauce, not directly on the fish. They’ll warm through in the hot sauce without overcooking.
- Don’t cover the casserole during the final heating steps. You want the noodles to stay crisp, not steam.
Variations
- Use cod, sole, or any firm white fish if halibut isn’t available.
- Swap the fried noodles for buttered bread crumbs for a more traditional casserole topping.
- Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the sauce for a tangy kick.
Ingredients
Directions
In a shallow, 1½-quart, heat-resistant, non-metallic casserole, melt butter or margarine.
Add onion and heat, uncovered, in microwave oven, 3 minutes 3. Add wine and fish and heat, covered, in microwave oven, 6 minutes 4. Drain pan juices into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make ¾ cup. Set fish and liquid aside.
ln a small, heat-resistant, non-metallic bowl, melt the 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, about 3 seconds.
Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in reserved fish liquid mixture.
Heat, uncovered, in microwave oven 6 minutes stirring 8. Add peas to sauce.
Add sauce to fish in the casserole and stir gently.
Heat, uncovered, in microwave oven 2 minutes.
Sprinkle noodles over fish and heat, uncovered, in microwave oven, 1 minute.
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