Escabeche Of Pacific Halibut Recipes

HALIBUT IN ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Cut the fish into 2-inch wide strips and pat them dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper, dredge the fish in it, and pat off any excess flour. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the fish until it is lightly browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and then put the fish in one layer into a shallow glass dish.
• Drain the oil from the skillet, return it to medium heat, and add 3 tablespoons fresh olive oil. Add the onions, bell peppers, and scotch bonnet, if using, and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and water and bring it to a boil. Spoon the vegetables and herbs over the fish and then add the vinegar sauce. Serve hot or let it cool to room temperature and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

PEPITA CRUSTED PACIFIC HALIBUT WITH CILANTRO SERRANO CREAM

Steps:

• Season all sides of the halibut with the 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. In a shallow dish, combine the flour and the remaining salt and pepper. In a second shallow dish add the eggs. Add the pepitas to a third shallow dish. Roll a halibut fillet in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip just 1 side of the fillet in the beaten eggs, then into the pepitas, pressing gently for even coverage. Set on a plate, seed side up, and repeat with remaining halibut. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• While the fish is resting, prepare the cilantro cream.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot add the fish, pepita side down, and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Flip over, then gently transfer them to a baking sheet fitted with a rack. Bake in the oven until the internal temperature of 145 degrees F registers on an instant-read thermometer, about 6 to 7 minutes. Arrange on serving plates, topped with the cilantro cream and serve.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and serrano pepper and saute for 1 minute. Add the half-and-half and cilantro and bring to a low simmer. Stir frequently until reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice and salt and blend with a stick blender until smooth, Keep warm, or reheat gently before serving.

ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Season fish with salt and pepper, and dust with flour. Heat a skillet and add canola oil to it. Saute the fish until brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and place in a deep pan.
• Remove some of the canola oil from the saute pan, and lower the heat to low, add all the vegetables and cook until soft and translucent. Add the ketchup and cook 1 more minute.
• Remove from the heat and add all other ingredients, except the avocado. Cover the fish with all ingredients and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and place in refrigerator for 2 days. Serve with avocado slices.

PACIFIC HALIBUT WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL, BLACK OLIVES, ORANGE ZEST, AND DILL

Steps:

• In a saute pan add the sliced fennel and the sambuca. Cook's Note: Pour the liqueur into the pan when the fire is off, as it is very flammable. Put the pan over low heat, and let the sambuca ignite. Allow the alcohol to evaporate and cook at medium heat until the liqueur begins to caramelize. At this point it will start to bubble. Add the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt, to taste, the orange zest, the olives, and dill. Cook for a couple of minutes, and then stir in a teaspoon of butter to give the sauce a little creaminess. Set aside.
• Score the fish fillets, cut them in half and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Coat a saute pan, over medium heat, with extra-virgin olive oil and add the fillets, skin side down. Allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• To serve: Put some of the fennel sauce in the center of each serving dish and top with 2 pieces of the fish.

RICK'S SEARED FISH IN ESCABECHE

Steps:

• In a large, well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 cup oil over medium-high heat. Pat fish dry. Working in batches if necessary, cook in a single uncrowded layer until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn, and cook until second side is brown and fish flakes under firm pressure, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove to a plate, and set aside. Discard oil from pan.
• Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining tablespoon oil. When hot, add onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and carrots are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine cloves and black pepper in a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder, and process until coarsely ground. Add to vegetables, along with stock, vinegar, bay leaves, thyme, and cinnamon. Cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Taste; season with salt (about 3/4 teaspoon), and stir in jalapeno strips.
• To serve warm, lay fillets over simmering escabeche, cover, and gently heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Place one fillet on each of six plates, and spoon some of the escabeche over each one. Garnish with sprigs of thyme. To serve cool, arrange fish on a deep serving platter, and spoon escabeche over. As it cools to room temperature, the fish and vegetables will absorb much of the liquid.