Yield: 4 portions
Time: 45 minutes
This is the best way to cook halibut, hands down. When cooked this way the halibut comes out very moist and succulent and it prevents it from becoming overcooked, which is very easy to do with halibut. The rhubarb vinaigrette offsets the sweetness of the peas and the blandness of the halibut.
Ingredients
4 pieces halibut fillet, 6-7 ounces
¾ beurre fondue (see recipe below)
2 cups cooked peas, preferably fresh (You can use frozen)
2 cups loosely packed pea tendrils (Optional)
2 heads of butter lettuce, core removed, washed, and cut into julienne strips
1 cup rhubarb thinly sliced
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of a quality balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons rice bran oil or grapeseed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
1. In a small saucepan add 2 tablespoons, the rhubarb, shallot, and a pinch of salt. Place over medium heat and cook for 8- 10 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally, making sure not to add any color to the rhubarb. Add a little water if the rhubarb gets to dry. Puree in a blender and place in a medium-size bowl. Add balsamic vinegar and whisk in oil. Season to taste. Set aside.
2. Add a little of the beurre fondue to a medium pan or dish just to cover the bottom. Add the halibut fillets and pour the remaining beurre fondue over the halibut. (The pan or dish should just be large enough to hold the halibut with ¼” space between them.) Place in a 225° oven and cook for about 5 minutes. Baste the fillets with the butter in the pan and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn fillets over and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until the internal temperature is 130°, remove from oven and keep warm in the butter.
3. While the halibut is cooking prepare the peas. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to a 10” saute pan and place over medium heat, add onions, and cook until tender, stirring a few times. Do not let the onions develop any color, add a little water if they start to brown. Add the lettuce and peas to the onions and cook over high heat until lettuce is wilted and tender; about 1 minute.
4. Plating; Dived the peas among 4 dinner plates, place halibut on top, at 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette to each plate. Top the halibut with pea tendrils and serve.
Notes:
You can substitute olive oil for the beurre fondue.
Beurre Monte
Yield: 1 cup
Time: 10 minutes
Beurre Monté is a workhorse sauce in today’s modern kitchen. It can be used for a myriad of dishes, probably the most well know is butter-poached lobster. This sauce can be used as a base to add any flavoring or ingredients you like. For example, it becomes apple cider-mustard sauce (see recipe) by adding apple cider reduction and mustard. I use it to make quick sauces, rest meats in, toss with vegetables and poach other seafood. It especially does wonders for poaching halibut. This is also the sauce for a salmon dish that I often make.
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons water
16 tablespoons cold butter cut into 1” pieces (sticks)
Preparation
1. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and whisk in the butter a little at a time. Keep whisking the butter until all the butter is emulsified, making sure not to get the sauce too hot or too cold. It should be warm to the touch of the back of your finger.
3. Keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve; (160-190° F) (71-90° C).
Notes:
I use beurre monte to make quick sauces, rest meats in, toss with vegetables and poach other seafood. It especially does wonders for poaching halibut. This is also the sauce for a salmon dish that I often make.
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