Fresh Halibut Steamed In Swiss Chard With Thai Curry Cream Food

THAI-STYLE HALIBUT WITH COCONUT-CURRY BROTH

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.
• Season the halibut with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange the fish in the pan and gently shake the pan so the fish is coated with the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 7 minutes.
• Steam or microwave the baby spinach for 2 minutes.
• Arrange a pile of steamed spinach in the bottom of 4 soup plates. Top with the fish fillets. Stir the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the fish and serve with rice.

PANKO-CRUSTED HALIBUT WITH SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small pot. Stir in the breadcrumbs, half the shallots, the parsley, lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper.
• 2. Sprinkle both sides of the halibut fillets with salt and pepper. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on top of each fillet, then press the panko mixture on top.
• 3. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch skillet. Add the rainbow chard stems and remaining shallots. Cook 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Fold in the torn chard leaves, 2 tablespoons water, and salt and pepper, to taste. Place the halibut fillets on top of the chard leaves.
• 4. Transfer the skillet to the oven until the fish is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

THAI CURRY CREAM

Steps:

• Saute green onion, garlic, mushrooms and ginger with the olive oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat until just beginning to color. Stir in curry paste and continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Add stock, wine and 1 1/2 cups of the coconut milk and reduce over high heat by half (approximately 5 to 7 minutes minutes). Add cream and reduce to a light sauce consistency. Strain carefully pressing down on the solids and return to the saucepan. Stir in lime zest, juice, remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• Note: Shellfish stock can be easily made by simmering raw shrimp shells (which hopefully you've saved in the freezer after you've peeled raw shrimp) with chicken stock and a splash or white wine for 5 to10 minutes. Alternately you can add a bit of shrimp paste (available in jars in Asian markets) or dried shrimp (available in Hispanic or Asian markets) to flavor the basic chicken stock. Don't ever use bottled clam juice!

STEAMED HALIBUT FLASHED WITH THAI BIRD-KAFFIR LIME OIL TURMERIC FRIED RICE AND LONG BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Set up a steamer that can hold the 4 fillets. Mix lime juice, salt, sugar and water. Add the fish and brine for 20 minutes. Add the fillets to the steamer (should be lined with red leaf or banana leaf), top with the scallions and steam for 8 to10 minutes until cooked though. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the peanut oil very hot until almost smoking. Mix the kaffir, chile, ginger, garlic and salt and pepper. First plate the halibut and right before serving, add the mix to the hot oil, mix and immediately flash the halibut. Serve.
• It is recommended to use day old rice so that the drier rice can soak up the flavors. In a wok, add 2 tablespoons of oil and quickly soft scramble the eggs. Remove the eggs. In the same wok, coat with oil and stir-fry garlic and ginger. Add scallions and rice and heat thoroughly. Add soy sauce, white pepper and scrambled eggs. Check for seasoning.
• Blanch the long beans in a 350 degree fryer for only 1 minute until wrinkled. Mix in a bowl the sambal, fish sauce and lime juice. Add the hot long beans. Check for seasoning and adjust. Let sit at room temperature.

SWISS CHARD CURRY

Steps:

• Saute the onion with the garlic and the ginger in a splash of olive oil over medium low heat until soft, about 10 minute.
• Add the spices, the chili and the tomato paste and heat over medium for two to three minutes.
• Cool mixture and transfer to food processor or blender and add the water or stock and blend until smooth.
• Transfer back into the pan. Cook on low for 15 minutes or until its brownish and pasty in texture.
• Add stock, bring to a boil and then simmer.
• Meanwhile, cook the chickpeas and add to the mixture. Simmer for about 15 min(the longer the simmer the better). Finely chop the Swiss chard and stir in the curry at the end for about five minutes.
• Serve over whole brown rice with a dollop of yogurt. If you like, add cooked yams or potatoes to this mixture.

HALIBUT WITH SWISS CHARD AND GINGER CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Brush fish with oil. Mix ginger, shallots and garlic in heavy small saucepan. Rub 1 teaspoon ginger mixture over each fish fillet. Add clam juice and wine to remaining ginger mixture in saucepan. Boil mixture until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 15 minutes.
• Steam Swiss chard until just tender, about 30 seconds. Transfer chard to strainer and rinse with cold water. Drain.
• Pat chard dry. Place 1 chard leaf on work surface. Place another leaf next to first, overlapping long sides. Place 1 fish fillet crosswise near 1 end of chard, leaving 2-inch border on short sides of fish. Season fish with salt and pepper. Fold 2 long sides of chard over fish, then roll up fish in chard, enclosing completely. Repeat with remaining chard and fish. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover ginger mixture and fish separately and chill.)
• Place steaming rack over boiling water in large Dutch oven. Place fish on rack. Cover; steam until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plates.
• Meanwhile, add cream to ginger mixture in saucepan. Boil until mixture thickens to sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce around fish.

HALIBUT IN CHARD LEAVES WITH LEMON-THYME BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Blend butter, fresh lemon juice, chopped fresh thyme, chopped fresh chives, and grated lemon peel in small bowl; season butter to taste with salt and pepper.
• Place four 12-inch squares of foil on work surface. Overlap center edge of 2 chard halves on each square. Sprinkle fillets on each side with salt and pepper, then spread with some lemon-thyme butter. Top each with lemon slice. Place 1 fillet crosswise on widest part of chard. Fold bottom of leaf over fillet, then continue to roll up (sides will be open). Enclose each wrapped fillet in foil. Arrange packets on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fish is just opaque in center, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer packets to plates, open foil, and serve.