Braised Halibut Recipes

PAN SEARED BRAISED HALIBUT IN A PUTTANESCA SAUCE SERVED WITH GNOCCHI AND ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Liberally salt and pepper the halibut. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-sized, non-stick pan. When oil is shimmering, place the halibut, skin-side down, in pan. Cook on both sides for 2 minutes or to desirable color. Place halibut aside. In a medium-sized saute pan over medium heat, add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once it is hot, add the shallots, red pepper flakes, and parsley, and saute for 2 minutes. Then add 3 of the 4 garlic cloves, and cook another minute. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup of the white wine and add tomatoes, capers, olives, and halibut. Cook on low heat until most of the liquid is evaporated and fish is firm to the touch.
• To plate: Place escarole in center of plate; put halibut on top of escarole, then surround fish and escarole with Gnocchi. Finish with sauce as needed.
• Place olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small saute pan over medium heat. When the garlic starts to brown add roughly chopped escarole until wilted add a dash of salt and pepper and finish with white wine.
• On a clean cooking surface (cutting board) place the flour spreading it out to make a well about 6 inches in diameter. In the middle of the well place the eggs, cheeses, salt, and pepper. Stir mixture, then slowly incorporate flour to wet mixture until the mixture becomes cohesive. Continue kneading until dough is dry to touch (add more flour, if needed.) Cut small pieces of dough, roll out to make 6-inch rolls, 1-inch in diameter, then using a large chefs knife cut into 1-inch long pieces. When finished, add to a pot of boiling water, gnocchi are done when they float to the top. Drain.

BRAISED HALIBUT

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a skillet just wide enough to hold the fish. When hot add the vegetables and saute for a minute or so just to get them sizzling. Add the wine, cover and cook over very low heat until wilted, about 10 minutes.
• Set halibut over the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and add stock or broth just to cover. Simmer, covered, over low heat, until fish is just done, about 10 minutes.
• With a slotted spatula, remove haibut from the liquid and divide into two portions. Set each portion in the bottom of a deep soup plate and garnish with carrot threads or snow peas; season the broth and spoon it over the top; garnish with black sesame seeds if you wish.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH PAPRIKA AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season pike liberally with salt and pepper. Melt butter in pan and sear both sides of fish. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Add mushrooms, scallions, pepper, and paprika and cook over low heat. Add flour and make a roux. Whisk in stock by thirds and bring to a simmer. Whisk in sour cream and check seasoning.
• Place fish back into the pan, cover, and roast in the oven 30 minutes or until fish is flaky.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH FENNEL IN PUTTANESCA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fennel and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir the garlic into the vegetables and cook 1 more minute, then stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes. Pour in the wine and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until most of the wine evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lemon zest, olives, capers and brine and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 4 minutes.
• Season the fillets with salt and pepper, nestle them in the sauce and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.

LEMON-CAPER BRAISED HALIBUT

Steps:

• Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat. Add the fish; cook for 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm.
• Reduce the heat to low. Add the oil, tomatoes, capers, and lemon juice; cook for 1 minute, stirring. Arrange the spinach on 2 serving plates; top with the fish. Spoon the sauce over the halibut and garnish with the parsley. Serve with the bread.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH TAGLIARINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500°F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tagliarini and cook until about half-done, about 1 minute for fresh and 4 minutes for dried. (They will finish cooking in the braising liquid.) Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and set aside.
• Warm the olive oil in a flameproof gratin dish or heavy oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the parsley and anchovies, pressing the anchovies with the tines of a fork. Continue to sauté until the parsley sizzles and the anchovies melt into the oil, about 3 minutes.
• Add the fish and sauté it briefly on both sides until the edges of the fish are opaque, about 1 minute on each side. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and boil rapidly until it is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved pasta water and the noodles, distributing them around and under the fish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place in the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through and the pasta has begun to absorb the liquid, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve at once, directly from the dish. Sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice, if desired.

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.