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Alaskan Halibut with Spring Vegetables

Course: Dinner, Main Course, seafood

Ingredients

Spring Vegetables

  • 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb asparagus 11/2" bias cut slices
  • 1/2 bunch ramps, aka: wild leeks
  • 1/2 cup sweet peas
  • 1/2 lb baby zucchini, sliced into 1/4" coins
  • 1/2 cup fava beans, shelled and peeled
  • 1/4 lb fiddlehead ferns, trimmed and blanched
  • 2 Tbl fresh basil, chopped

Quick Basil - Vegetable Broth

  • 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup basil stems and leaves
  • 1/2 cup trimmings from above vegetables: asparagus ends and peelings, ramp or leak tops, zucchini trim, trimmings from pea or fava pods
  • 1/2 cup white wine Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay
  • 2 cup water
  • walt to taste

Halibut and Finishing

  • 3 Tbl canola oil
  • 4 each Alaskan Halibut, 5 (6 oz.) portions
  • sea salt/ kosher salt to taste
  • 4 pinches micro basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup pea shoots
  • 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Wash all vegetables and greens thoroughly. Trim wild leeks (aka ramps) using only the white parts and cut into thin slivers. Prepare other vegetables as listed above.

Broth

  • In a small pot, warm olive oil with basil over medium heat.
  • Add vegetable trimmings, cover with lid and cook until vegetables start to soften (3-4 minutes).
  • Add white wine and simmer until wine reduces by half. Add water, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, creating a flavorful cooking broth.
  • Strain stock, squeezing out juices from the vegetables. Season with salt and reserve to the side.

Vegetables

  • Heat large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbs olive oil and slowly sauté the wild leeks for 2 minutes until slightly translucent.
  • Add the asparagus, peas, fava beans, zucchini and fiddlehead ferns. Sauté until vegetables just begin to become tender, seasoning lightly with salt.
  • Add the vegetables broth, bring to a simmer. Add chopped basil and stir together to combine. Set aside.

Halibut

  • As the vegetables begin to cook, heat a medium sauté pan or cast-iron skillet with 3 Tbs of canola oil over medium-high heat. Lightly season halibut with salt. When oil is hot, carefully sear the halibut, about 3-4 minutes until crusted and golden brown.
  • Gently flip fillet over and continue cooking an additional 3-4 minutes depending on thickness, until halibut is cooked through (the flesh does not resist when gently touched and begins to flake apart easily).

Assembly

  • Spoon the vegetables and broth onto 4 warm plates or shallow bowls.
  • Place halibut fillets on top of vegetables.
  • Garnish with micro basil and pea shoots.
  • Finish with a thread of flavorful extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.

Notes

By Chef Paul Bartolotta