Poached Halibut Steaks With Nicoise Sauce Recipes

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.

BUTTER-BASTED HALIBUT STEAKS WITH CAPERS

Steps:

• Season halibut with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Cook halibut until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Turn and cook until other side of fish is golden brown, about 4 minutes longer.
• Add butter, thyme sprigs, and garlic to pan and cook, tilting pan and spooning butter over fish, until halibut is opaque throughout and butter is brown, about 2 minutes. Add capers; toss in butter to warm through.
• Divide halibut among plates and spoon butter sauce over.

OVEN-POACHED HALIBUT PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place wine and fish in an oiled 13"x9" baking dish.
• Combine tomato through garlic, and spoon over fish.
• Bake 35 minutes.
• Preheat broiler.
• Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and olive oil.
• Sprinkle over fish, and broil until toasted.
• Serve.

POACHED HALIBUT

Steps:

• Place the fillets in a microwave-safe dish; sprinkle with bouillon. In a bowl, combine the next seven ingredients. Pour over fish. Place lemon over fillets. Cover and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fish and keep warm. Strain cooking liquid; reserve 2 tablespoons., For sauce, place butter and garlic in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and reserved cooking liquid. Cook 30 seconds longer or until bubbly. Serve over fish.

POACHED HALIBUT IN LEMON-THYME BROTH

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove zest in strips from 2 lemons. Juice zested lemons. Transfer zest and juice to a 12-inch straight-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Add stock, garlic, 4 sprigs thyme, and the peppercorns to the pan. Bring to a boil.
• Season each fillet on both sides with salt; carefully add to skillet. Cover skillet, and turn off the heat. Let stand until fish is opaque and firm to the touch, 9 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer fish to a platter; tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
• Pour poaching liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Return to skillet. Bring to a boil; turn off heat.
• Divide broth among wide bowls; gently place a fish fillet in each. Cut remaining lemon into wedges. Garnish each serving with a wedge of lemon and a sprig of thyme, and lightly drizzle with oil.

HALIBUT NIçOISE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. In the sink, prepare a bowl full of cold water and ice. Add green beans to the pot and cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to ice water.
• Add potatoes to the pot of hot water and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Leave the smaller potatoes whole, and halve or quarter any larger ones so they're bite-size.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix olives, anchovy and garlic, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix shallots and rice wine vinegar, and let stand for 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and a few turns of ground black pepper. Drain and add green beans, along with potatoes and tomato wedges, and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Fill a 12-inch skillet with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Crack each egg into a small bowl and fish out any pieces of shell. Slide eggs into the water and poach until white is set and yolk is still soft, about 3 minutes. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon to a bowl of warm water until ready to plate.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large ovenproof skillet, ideally cast iron, over high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Pat the halibut dry with a paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper. Add fillets to hot pan, skin-side down, leaving at least 2 inches between each. (Cook fish in 2 pans or in 2 batches if needed.)
• Let fish cook until it releases easily from the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip fillets, add butter to pan and transfer to the oven. After 2 minutes, baste fish with melted butter, then return to oven until it's just cooked through, slightly firm and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Divide lettuce among four plates, and top with dressed beans, potatoes and tomato. Add fish and top each fillet with a poached egg. Drizzle over any extra pan juice from the fish, along with a spoonful of the olive-anchovy mixture. Squeeze lemon juice over each plate and eat immediately.

ROASTED NIçOISE SALAD WITH HALIBUT

Steps:

• Place a rimmed baking sheet on center rack of oven; preheat to 450°F.
• Toss potatoes, artichokes, 3 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Arrange in an even layer on preheated sheet and roast, tossing once halfway through, until nicely browned, about 18 minutes.
• Toss green beans, olives, 1 Tbsp. oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt in same bowl. Season fish on both sides with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, then coat with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil.
• Remove baking sheet from oven and push potatoes and artichokes to one side, taking up about a third of pan. Place fish on another third, then bean mixture on remaining third. Roast until fish is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl.
• Flake halibut into pieces and transfer to a platter. Serve with roasted vegetables and sauce alongside. Top with basil.

POACHED HALIBUT STEAKS WITH NICOISE SAUCE

Steps:

• To make sauce, place tomatoes into boiling water for 10 seconds. Drain and pull away the skins. Cut away and discard core. Cut tomatoes crosswise and cut into 1/4-inch cubes. There should be about 1 cup.
• Place vinegar in a mixing bowl, and add oil, shallots, garlic, basil, black and green olives, orange rind and salt and pepper. Blend well with a wire whisk. There should be about 1 1/4 cups.
• To prepare fish, place fillets in a skillet large enough to hold them in one layer. Add enough water to cover fish. Add milk, onions, bay leaf, parsley, thyme, cloves, peppercorns, cayenne and salt.
• Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish, or until fish flakes easily. Do not overcook.
• Drain, remove bay leaf, parsley and thyme, and serve hot or warm with sauce.