Italian Seared Halibut With Melted Leeks Recipes

TRUFFLE-STEAMED HALIBUT ON MELTED LEEKS WITH TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Combine the truffle peelings and Madeira in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, separately reserving the liquid and peelings.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, 1/4 cup of the chopped carrot, celery, and sachet. Saute for about 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the reserved Madeira liquid and stir to de-glaze the pan. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes or until the pan is almost dry. Add the rich chicken stock and cook about 4 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Immediately strain through a fine sieve into a medium size, heat-proof bowl. Discard the solids. Set the liquid aside to cool.
• When the liquid is cool, whisk in the vinegar, 1/2 cup of the remaining olive oil, and the truffle oil. Season the truffle vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Remove the green part from the leeks (you may want to reserve this for making stock). Split leeks in half, lengthwise, down to but not through the root ends. Holding the leeks together by the root, rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the grit. Pat dry.
• Place the leeks in a medium saucepan along with the chicken stock, butter, minced parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the leeks are soft. Add the 1/2 cup of remaining diced carrots and simmer for 3 minutes. Cover and turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner to keep the leeks warm until ready to serve.
• While the leeks are cooking, prepare the halibut.
• Lightly season each piece of halibut with salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste. Place 2 truffle slices and 1 tarragon leaf on each side of the halibut. Using a large pastry brush, very lightly coat one side of 6 10-inch by 10-inch squares of plastic wrap with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Securely wrap each piece of fish in an oiled plastic wrap square. Place the halibut in the top half of a steamer over lightly simmering water. Cover and steam for 8 minutes per inch, or until the fish is just firm but slightly underdone in the center. Remove the fish from the steamer.
• Whisk the fines herbs into the reserved truffle vinaigrette.
• Spoon equal portions of the melted leeks into the center of each 6 warm dinner plates. Unwrap the fish and place one piece on top of the leeks. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the fish and around the edge of the plate. Garnish top with crispy leeks and serve.
• Add oil to deep fryer, or a 3-inch deep saute pan. Heat over medium-high until very hot but not smoking, and add the leeks. Quickly fry until the leeks are crisp, about 30 seconds. Remove leeks from oil immediately. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

ITALIAN HALIBUT

Steps:

• Create an Italian herb baste by mixing together the olive oil, Italian seasoning, parsley, basil, shallots, garlic, and Parmesan in a bowl.
• Preheat a grill to medium, using mesquite wood. Coat the halibut in the Italian herb baste and place fish on the grill. Grill, turning often to avoid burning, until fish is opaque and a knife slides in easily.
• Remove from heat and serve halibut with fresh vegetables and a starch of choice.

SEARED HALIBUT WITH ANCHOVIES, CAPERS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat, and leave it there until hot. Add oil and butter together. Butter should sizzle. When butter foam subsides, add fish, and season it lightly with salt and pepper. Brown fish, basting with pan juices, then turn, and brown again. Do not worry about cooking through. Turn off heat, put fish on an ovenproof plate, and place it in oven.
• Turn heat under skillet to medium, and add anchovies and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until anchovies break up, just a couple of minutes. Add capers and wine, and turn heat to high. Cook until wine is reduced by half. Return fish and its juices to pan, and turn it in sauce once or twice. Fish should be cooked through by now. (A thin-bladed knife inserted into its thickest part will meet little resistance.)
• Taste sauce, add some lemon juice, then taste again. It should be strong-tasting but only mildly acidic. Remove fish to serving plate, spoon sauce on top, and garnish with parsley.

HALIBUT FILLETS WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Before chopping, rinse thoroughly between the leek leaves and pat dry. Chop the leeks as finely as possible. There should be about 3 1/2 cups.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and add the leeks. Cook, stirring often from the bottom, about 3 minutes. Add the 2/3 cup of wine and stir. Bring to the boil and cover. Cook 10 minutes. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, using the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, grease the bottom of a heavy skillet large enough to hold the fish pieces in one layer without crowding. Sprinkle the bottom of the skillet with shallots and arrange the fish pieces over it. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of wine over the fish. Bring the wine to a boil and cover the skillet closely. Cook 4 minutes or less until the fish just loses its raw look.
• Transfer the fish pieces to a warm serving platter. Cover closely with foil and keep warm.
• Cook down briefly the skillet liquid to 1/2 cup and then pour it into a saucepan. Add the cream. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat about 4 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup. Set aside 6 tablespoons of this sauce to be added to the linguine, which will accompany this dish.
• Spoon four equal portions of the cooked leeks onto four individual serving dishes. Top each portion of the leeks with one piece of fish. Spoon all but the reserved 6 tablespoons of sauce over the fish. If serving with linguine, toss pasta with the reserved sauce and 2 tablespoons butter. Serve alongside the fish.

SEARED HALIBUT WITH BRUSSELS SPROUT HASH

Steps:

• Combine the Brussels sprouts and 2 tablespoons water in a microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and put the bowl on a plate. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place around the bowl on the plate. Microwave the Brussels sprouts and potatoes until the Brussels sprouts are bright green, about 7 minutes, then continue cooking the potatoes until just tender, 3 to 4 more minutes. Let both cool slightly, then drain the Brussels sprouts and chop the potatoes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and potatoes; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add 1 more tablespoon olive oil, the apple, serrano and thyme, and cook until the apple softens, 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper; add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Divide the hash among plates; top with the fish. Add the cider and 2 teaspoons vinegar to the fish skillet; simmer until reduced, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and swirl in the butter and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vinegar; season with salt. Spoon over the fish and hash; top with parsley.