Licorice Poached Halibut Food

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.

POACHED HALIBUT WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Season fish with salt and pepper. In a large skillet add the oil. Arrange fish in the pan and turn to coat in oil, then add garlic, shallots and wine. Top each fillet of fish with 1/4 of the tomatoes. Place the pan on the stove top and bring the liquid to a boil over medium high heat. Top the pan with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to moderate. Cook fish 8 to 10 minutes until opaque and flaky, but not dry. Carefully transfer fish topped with tomatoes to dinner plates or serving plate with a thin spatula. Spoon pan juices over the fish. Squeeze the wedge of lemon over the cooked fish and top each fillet with lots of torn or shredded basil. Serve immediately.

MARIO BATALI'S OVEN-POACHED HALIBUT IN OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Put a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Pat the fish fillets dry, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Allow the seasoned fish to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Chop half of the capers.
• Arrange half of the lemon slices in one layer in an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Arrange the fish fillets in one layer over the lemon slices. Top with all of the capers, the remaining lemon slices, and the 3 tablespoons of parsley, then pour the oil over the composed fish.
• Bake, covered, until the fish just flakes and is cooked throughout - 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve the fish with some of the lemon slices, capers, and oil spooned over. Sprinkle with parsley leaves.
• COOK'S NOTE:
• To reuse the leftover olive oil, strain it through a paper towel-lined sieve and allow it to cool to room temperature. It will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.
• Recipe adapted from: the website of The Jane Pauley Show (on which the technique was demonstrated).

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.

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 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.

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.

RED WINE POACHED HALIBUT WITH BACON & MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the wine, stock, thyme, peppercorns and a pinch of salt in a deep-sided frying pan and bring to just below the boil. Drop in the halibut, turn down the heat and poach for 8 mins or until flaking apart. While the fish is poaching, fry the bacon in a hot frying pan for 2 mins each side until crispy. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven.
• In the same frying pan, heat the oil and 1 tbsp butter until foaming. Add the mushrooms and cook until you get a lovely golden colour. (If using a king oyster mushroom, turn over to get an even colour on both sides.) Once cooked, add the lemon juice to taste and sprinkle with a little salt.
• Lift the cooked fish from the pan, lay on a plate, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven. Turn the heat up on the poaching liquid, reduce by two-thirds, then pour through a fine sieve.
• Wash the spinach in cold water and add to the mushrooms. Season, add more butter if needed, and cook for about 3 mins, stirring until wilted. Divide the spinach and mushrooms between two plates and serve the halibut on top. Spoon over the reduced sauce and top with a rasher of crispy bacon.

LICORICE-POACHED HALIBUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put licorice sticks on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool, then use a knife (or hammer and nail) to carefully split the sticks into pieces. In a saucepan large enough to fit the fish in one layer, pour the half-and-half. Wrap the licorice sticks in cheesecloth and secure with string. Add to the pan. Heat on medium high until bubbles form around the edge, then turn the heat to low and keep warm for 20 minutes, or until the half-and-half tastes pleasingly of licorice. Remove licorice bundle and discard. You will return to the liquid later.
• Fill a small saucepan with water, add salt and bring to a boil. Add the haricots verts and blanch for 2 minutes. Shock in ice water, then dry. Split the beans lengthwise. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer layer from the celery and discard. Shave the remaining stalk into 4-inch-long pieces. You will need about 16 pieces. Put the onions in a small bowl, mix with a pinch of salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Rinse the onions and squeeze out excess liquid.
• In a bowl, mix the haricots verts, celery, onions, mint, lemon zest and almonds. Sprinkle with olive oil and a few drops lemon juice. Season with salt. Toss until evenly dressed.
• Place the half-and-half back on the heat and bring to 155 degrees (using a candy thermometer). Season the halibut with salt and white pepper. Lower the fish into the half-and-half and poach, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just cooked through. Lift the fish from the liquid and set on a paper towel.
• Transfer about 1 cup cooking liquid to a medium bowl. Season with salt, if needed. Add 3 to 4 drops lemon juice. Using an immersion blender or milk frother, whip the liquid until foamy.
• On each of 4 plates, arrange a little of the haricots verts salad. Lay a piece of fish on top. Season it with fleur de sel and black pepper. Lay a few apple matchsticks on top, followed by a pinch of chives. Spoon the foamy sauce on the fish and around the plate.