Roasted Halibut With Saffron Fennel Butter Food

ROASTED HALIBUT WITH SAFFRON-FENNEL BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine 1 tablespoon butter and the saffron in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter melts, about 1 minute. Let cool 5 minutes. Place the remaining butter and the fennel seeds in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the melted saffron butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and continue pulsing until the butter is bright yellow. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch log; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. (The saffron butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the sliced fennel, garlic, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons water in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the tomatoes over the fennel. Set the halibut on top of the vegetables; drizzle with the juice of the remaining 1/2 lemon and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake, uncovered, until the halibut is firm and no longer translucent, about 12 minutes; remove from the oven and top each piece with a thin slice of saffron butter. Return the halibut to the oven and bake until the butter just begins to melt, about 2 more minutes. Serve with fennel fronds.

SLOW-COOKED HALIBUT WITH GARLIC CREAM AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Place fennel in a large saucepan wide enough to fit fish comfortably. Add garlic, cream, and 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. salt. Place over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is just tender, 12-15 minutes (do not let cream come to a boil). Remove from heat.
• Season fish with remaining 1 tsp. salt. Using tongs, carefully slip fish into pan (it should be mostly covered). Transfer to oven and cook fish, uncovered, until flesh easily flakes with a fork, 18-22 minutes.
• While the fish is cooking, finely chop reserved fennel fronds and place in a small bowl (you should have about 1/2 cup). Cut ends off lemon; discard. Place lemon upright on one end and cut lemon into four lobes, working around the center as you would an apple and leaving core and seeds behind. Finely chop lobes (peel and all) and transfer to bowl with fennel fronds. (You should have about 1/3 cup.) Squeeze juice from core over fennel fronds; discard core. Drizzle in oil and toss mixture to combine. Season fennel oil with salt and lots of pepper.
• Break fish into large pieces and divide among shallow bowls. Divide garlic and fennel among bowls and ladle some garlic cream on top; spoon fennel oil over.

ROASTED HALIBUT WITH MUSSEL BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine kelp with 4 cups of cool water and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of the kelp water.
• On a lightly greased rimmed sheet pan, arrange half of the softened kelp in the center, allowing excess water to drip off kelp and slightly overlapping the pieces. (Do not squeeze water out of the kelp). Rub halibut with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt. Set halibut in the center of the kelp and lift kelp over the sides of the fish. It should stick to the fish. Top halibut with the remaining kelp, slightly overlapping, and tuck the kelp loosely underneath the fish to enclose it.
• Roast halibut until just opaque in the center, about 15 minutes. A metal cake tester or skewer inserted in the center of the fish should feel warm to the touch. Transfer wrapped halibut to a serving platter.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine clam juice and the reserved kelp water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open, 2 to 3 minutes; begin checking mussels at 2 minutes and transfer them to a bowl as they open (discard any that do not open). Tent with foil to keep warm. Pour mussel broth into a separate bowl, leaving behind any grit in the pot, and reserve the broth. Rinse out pot to remove any grit.
• Combine 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with the saffron in a small bowl and mix well. In the rinsed pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved mussel broth (and any juice that has drained from the mussels) and saffron-lemon juice, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently to allow flavors to meld, about 5 minutes. Discard garlic.
• While whisking constantly, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending in each addition before adding the next. Then, whisk in heavy cream. Gently simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, parsley and tarragon, and season with salt. You should have about 2 cups of sauce.
• Remove the top layer of kelp to reveal halibut. You can serve the kelp to eat with the fish or discard it. Arrange mussels around halibut, removing the top shells for easier eating if you'd like. Spoon some sauce over the mussels and fish, and garnish with parsley and tarragon.
• To serve, divide the fish and mussels among plates. Garnish with more parsley and tarragon. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

HALIBUT WITH TOMATOES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Cook couscous according to package instructions.
• In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium. Add fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until they beginto soften and release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Nestle halibut in tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until fillets are opaque throughout, 8 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with a fork. Reserve 2 1/4 cups for another meal. To serve, divide remaining couscous and halibut-tomato mixture among 4 shallow bowls and sprinkle with fennel fronds, if desired.

HALIBUT WITH SAFFRON LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 475F.
• Mix Butter, Sour cream, Lemon Zest, Saffron, Cumin, Tomato Paste in a bowl and set aside.
• Salt and pepper Halibut steaks and place on an oiled baking sheet.
• Spread 1/2 tbsp butter mixture on top of each steak.
• Place baking sheet with steaks in the oven, set timer for 12 min.
• In saute pan melt remaining butter mixture over med-high heat, add garlic and saute shrimp until done, but do not over-cook, add lemon juice
• Check to see if Halibut is done, flesh will be white and flaking but still moist 12-15 min max.
• Place Halibut steaks on a serving platter and pour shrimp and butter sauce over steaks.
• Garnish with Green Onion and serve imediately.

ROASTED HALIBUT WITH LEMONS, OLIVES AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place fish in a baking dish, brush fillets with 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and chile pepper. Top each fillet with a rosemary branch and several slices of lemon. Drizzle remaining oil over lemon slices and sprinkle with additional salt. Scatter olives over fish and pan.
• Bake until just opaque, about 10 minutes. If lemon slices have not browned or singed (this will depend on how thinly you slice them), place pan under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve drizzled with more olive oil; sprinkle with more salt and chili, if desired.

ROASTED HALIBUT WITH FENNEL & POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Cut off roots and trim dark green top from leek. Discard any tough outer leaves.
• Thinly slice leek.
• Rinse thoroughly in a bowl of cold water; swish to remove any sand. Transfer with hands to a colander and drain well.
• Spray 13"x9" glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Add leek, potatoes, fennel, fennel seed, 1 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper to the baking dish.
• Toss to coat and spread evenly.
• Roast vegetables 35 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through roasting.
• Remove baking dish from oven. Place halibut on vegetables, drizzle with liquor and 1 tsp oil.
• Sprinkle fennel seeds, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.
• Place lemon slices on halibut, return dish to oven and roast 10-12 minutes or just until halibut turns opaque in center.
• To serve, sprinkle with fennel fronds if using.

FENNEL-RUBBED HALIBUT WITH FAVA BEAN RAGOUT

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot fire (450°F) in a wood-fired grill.
• Combine the fennel seeds and olive oil to create a paste. Add the salt and pepper. Rub each fillet with the mixture and set aside at room temperature.
• To make the ragout, bring the white wine and stock to a low boil in a small nonreactive saucepan. Add the saffron threads, remove from the heat, and set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes, then add the leeks and mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs. Add the saffron liquid and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the fava beans, and carrots and cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the favas and carrots are tender. Remove the thyme and add the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
• Oil the grill grids and add the halibut. Cover and cook on one side until the flesh is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. (With the lid closed, the delicate halibut does not need to be turned over and cooked on both sides.) Transfer to a warmed platter, grilled side up, surround with the ragout, and serve.
• Cleaning Leeks
• Leeks add an incredible depth of flavor to homemade soups, but they are like sand traps. Trim off the root ends, then make two perpendicular cuts down the entire length of the dark green leaves. Swish the leeks in a bowl of warm water (I find that cold water makes the sand cling), separating the dark green leaves to expose any sand. Then chop them and swish around in a fresh bowl of water. Lift out chopped leeks with your fingers, allowing any sediment to sink to the bottom of the bowl
• steaming fava beans
• Rather than the tedious three-step method of shelling, blanching, and peeling fava beans, try this time-saver from Paula Wolfert.
• Place unshelled fava beans in a steamer rack over boiling water; cover and cook until wilted, about 15 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool to the touch. Remove the pods, then remove the skin from each fava bean.
• If the beans will be cooked further, cut back a bit on the steaming time so the beans will be slightly undercooked when skinned.