Brown Butter Poached Halibut With Celeriac Purée Caper Crumbs Food

BROWN BUTTER-POACHED HALIBUT WITH CELERIAC PURéE & CAPER CRUMBS

Steps:

• To make the purée, melt a small knob of butter in a saucepan, add the celeriac and cook over a medium-high heat until starting to brown a little, about 5 mins. Pour over the milk and cream, and season well - the celeriac should be just covered, so add more milk if needed. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 mins or until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and transfer to a food processor. Blend until smooth, then sieve into a clean saucepan, pushing the celeriac through with the back of a spoon or spatula. Add a little of the cooking liquid to loosen the purée if needed, and taste for seasoning.
• To make the crumbs, heat a small knob of butter in a frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Throw in the capers and cook for 30 secs more. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool a little, then stir through the parsley.
• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 2. Gently melt the butter in a small ovenproof saucepan or frying pan, big enough for the fish fillets to fit snugly. Once melted, add the shallot, bay leaf and peppercorns. Keep heating until the butter turns a light brown colour and smells nutty. Leave to cool a little. Gently lower the fish fillets into the warm butter, basting any exposed fish, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3-4 mins, depending on the thickness of the fish, then turn the fillets over and cook for a further 3-4 mins or until just opaque and feeling firm.
• While the fish cooks, reheat the purée and steam the greens. To serve, spoon the purée into the centre of each plate; use the back of the spoon to spread out slightly into a circle. Top with the greens, then carefully place the halibut on top. Drizzle with a little of the poaching butter and scatter with the crumbs.

CELERIAC PUREE

Steps:

• Brush excess dirt off of the celeriac. Cut off the bottoms and tops, cut into quarters and peel. Rinse in cool water if there is any remaining dirt or debris. Cut into 1/2-inch thick dice.
• Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart saucepan over low heat just until it shimmers. Add the celeriac, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, just until it begins to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the water. Bring to a boil and cook until the celeriac is tender and easily pierced with a fork, approximately 20 minutes. Drain the celeriac through a colander and return to the pot. Using a stick blender, puree until no lumps are present, approximately 1 minute. Place the butter and heavy cream into a microwave proof bowl and heat just until the butter is melted, approximately 45 seconds. Add the cream and butter and continue to puree with the stick blender for another minute. Serve warm.

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.

HALIBUT WITH BROWN BUTTER, LEMON AND SAGE

Steps:

• Season fish on both sides with plenty of salt and pepper.
• Pour oil into a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron or nonstick) and set over medium-high heat. When oil is hot (but not smoking), swirl to evenly coat the pan, then add fish in a single layer. Let cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until first side is nicely browned. Adjust the heat as needed to produce a steady sizzle and prevent scorching.
• Flip and cook fish for about another 3 minutes, until just done. (To test for doneness, use a fork to gently probe the flesh: it should flake easily.) Transfer cooked fish to a warm platter or serving plates.
• Make the sauce: Place skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add butter and sage leaves. Cook butter, swirling the pan, until foamy and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice.
• Spoon butter sauce and sage leaves over fish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and parsley. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

BAKED PACIFIC HALIBUT WITH LEMON CAPER BUTTER

Steps:

• Adjust rack to center of oven and preheat to 400°F
• Combine butter, capers, onion and lemon juice in food processor and pulse to blend. Set aside.
• Place each halibut fillet on dry surface and sprinkle with salt.
• Smear tops and sides of fillets with mustard and coat with bread crumbs and parsley.
• Coat bottom of baking pan with half of the lemon-caper butter. Place fillets skin side down in pan and dot each fillet with remaining lemon-caper butter.
• Bake until crusty and golden on the outside and moist and flaky in the middle, 15-20 minutes.
• Carefully transfer baked fish to warm platter. Squeeze the lemons into the butter and drippins left of baking sheet and transfer to small bowl. Whisk together thoroughly and pour over fish. Serve immediately.

CAPERS AND HALIBUT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the halibut steaks on all sides until nicely browned. Remove from pan, and set aside.
• Pour the wine into the pan, and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce to almost nothing, then stir in the garlic, butter and capers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for a minute to blend the flavors.
• Return the steaks to the pan, and coat them with sauce. Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve fish immediately with the sauce from the pan poured over it.

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.