Milk Poached Alaskan Halibut With Asparagus And Morel Mushrooms Recipes

HALIBUT WITH ASPARAGUS AND MUSHROOMS (SOUTH BEACH DIET)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450.
• Toss asparagus, mushrooms and scallions with next 4 ingredients (1/4 t. salt). Roast for 5 minutes on a large baking sheet.
• Push veggies to each side of the baking sheet and place the fish in the center of the sheet. Season fish with remaining salt, pepper and lemon juice. Roast for about 10 minutes longer or until fish flakes with a fork and veggies are tender.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH ASPARAGUS, BABY POTATOES AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Crush saffron threads between your fingers and place in a small bowl or ramekin. Add 1 tablespoon warm water and set aside.
• In a mortar and pestle, pound together almonds, garlic and anchovies along with a pinch of salt into a paste. Set aside.
• In a heavy straight-sided skillet or wide saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, sear fish for 1 minute on each side. Remove to a plate or platter.
• Reduce heat to medium and add anchovy paste to pan. Cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pan, until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in 3 cups water and stir to deglaze bottom of pan. Add potatoes and a pinch of salt. (Don't salt to taste now or broth will become too salty when reduced later.) Bring to a boil. Add saffron with soaking water, reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Carefully add seared halibut fillets and asparagus to pan. Tip in any liquid that has accumulated on the plate or platter, and bring back to a bare simmer. Cover and poach gently for 5 minutes, or until fish is opaque and asparagus is tender. With a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove fish fillets to 4 warm wide soup bowls. If necessary, simmer asparagus for another minute or 2. It should be tender but not too soft.
• Divide potatoes and asparagus among the bowls. Turn up heat and reduce liquid in pan by half, stirring. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in parsley and basil and simmer 20 to 30 seconds. Spoon broth over fish and vegetables and serve.

BUTTER-POACHED HALIBUT

Steps:

• Clarify the butter: Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 4-quart, oven-safe saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and bring to a simmer, 5-7 minutes. Once white foam (milk solids) begins to form on the top, skim it off with a small ladle or spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue skimming the milk solids until the butter is clear. Pour the clarified butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer to catch the smaller milk solids. Set aside to cool to 155 F.
• Poach the fish: Season the fish on all sides with salt, about ¼ teaspoon per fillet. Gently lower the halibut into the clarified butter so all four fillets are submerged. Place the fish in the oven and bake, uncovered, 8 minutes.
• Assemble the dish: Fish is done when it's firm but not hard to the touch. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish, drain off the butter, and plate. Serve with lemon wedges, crunchy salt, and dill.

HALIBUT AND ASPARAGUS STIR-FRY

Steps:

• In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add halibut, onion, garlic, gingerroot and asparagus; cook and stir 2 to 4 minutes or until fish almost flakes with fork. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.
• Carefully stir in remaining ingredients. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until heated through and fish flakes easily with fork. Serve with pasta and additional reduced-sodium soy sauce if desired.

HALIBUT WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, shallots, garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the leeks and shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Spread into 2 9 × 13-inch baking dishes, dividing evenly. Top with the fish; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add half of the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Raise heat to medium-high; cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Scatter the mushrooms over the fish. Repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Bake until the fish is cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to plates. Drizzle with chive oil. Serve with beet salad.
• Chive Oil
• Cook the chives in a small pot of boiling water until bright green, about 10 seconds. Drain; run under cold water. Pat dry.
• Put the chives in a blender. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream; puree. Let stand 1 hour. Strain through a damp cheesecloth-lined sieve; discard the solids.
• Beet Salad
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the beets with 1/4 cup oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil. Bake until tender, about 65 minutes.
• Let cool. Rub off the skins with paper towels; discard the skins. Cut into wedges. Put the golden and red beets into separate bowls.
• Whisk the vinegar and remaining oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle the beets in the bowls with dressing. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss together just before serving.

MILK-POACHED ALASKAN HALIBUT WITH ASPARAGUS AND MOREL MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Pat halibut dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In large, heavy skillet over moderately high heat, heat vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Add fish, skin side up, milk, cream, and wine. Bring to light simmer, cover, and place in oven until just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove halibut from liquid, cover, and keep warm. Reserve poaching liquid.
• While halibut is in the oven, cook asparagus in 8-quart pot boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon or tongs, remove asparagus from water and transfer to large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and toss gently to coat. Cover and keep warm.
• In heavy 10-inch skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add morels and sauté 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and add sherry vinegar and thyme, stirring to scrape up any morels that might stick to bottom of skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 tablespoon pepper.
• Place poaching liquid over high heat and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Divide asparagus between 8 plates. Peel skin off halibut and place 1 filet on top of asparagus on each plate. Divide morels among plates. Spoon sauce over fish and serve immediately.