Seared Halibut With Gnocchi And Porcini 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.

SEARED HALIBUT WITH ANCHOVIES, CAPERS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat, and leave it there until hot. Add oil and butter together. Butter should sizzle. When butter foam subsides, add fish, and season it lightly with salt and pepper. Brown fish, basting with pan juices, then turn, and brown again. Do not worry about cooking through. Turn off heat, put fish on an ovenproof plate, and place it in oven.
• Turn heat under skillet to medium, and add anchovies and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until anchovies break up, just a couple of minutes. Add capers and wine, and turn heat to high. Cook until wine is reduced by half. Return fish and its juices to pan, and turn it in sauce once or twice. Fish should be cooked through by now. (A thin-bladed knife inserted into its thickest part will meet little resistance.)
• Taste sauce, add some lemon juice, then taste again. It should be strong-tasting but only mildly acidic. Remove fish to serving plate, spoon sauce on top, and garnish with parsley.