Best Poached Halibut With Sauce Vierge Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

MARIO BATALI'S OVEN-POACHED HALIBUT IN OLIVE OIL



Mario Batali's Oven-Poached Halibut in Olive Oil image

I finally took the plunge and tried this odd recipe. It was the most delicious fish I've ever tasted, moist and silky texture. It is NOT oily tasting at all, and you can even eat the lemon slices. Yum! Next I'll try it with salmon. Poaching fish in oil may seem like an unusual cooking method, but it's actually a little like confit, the traditional preparation in which meat is cooked in its own fat. The idea comes from a guest television talk show appearance by Mario Batali, the chef of New York City's Babbo, and the technique he demonstrated is adapted here for home use. The fish fillets stay extremely moist, but without any taste of oil, and the layers of lemon slices, which lose their tartness when heated with the oil and salt, infuse the dish with wonderful citrus notes. Another bonus: the oil doesn't pick up any fish flavor (believe it or not) - it tastes lemony and slightly salty - and only a small amount is served with the dish, so the rest can be used again in a vinaigrette, or added to mashed potatoes, or saved for cooking. This recipe takes only about 15 minutes to prepare for cooking - but then the slow poaching method adds an hour or more to the total time from start to finish.

Provided by hoosfoos

Categories     Halibut

Time 1h45m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 1/2 lbs halibut fillets (each 1 inch thick)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup capers, rinsed (preferably packed in salt)
1 1/2 large lemons, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons loosely packed fresh flat leaf parsley
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon loosely packed fresh flat leaf parsley

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).

BUTTER-POACHED HALIBUT



Butter-Poached Halibut image

I like to serve my halibut simply poached in butter, with some fresh wedges of lemon, crunchy salt, and a bit of dill for color. Adapted with permission from "Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking," by Naomi Pomeroy, © 2016. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc.

Provided by Naomi Pomeroy

Categories     main-dish

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 pounds unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
4 5-oz halibut fillets
Lemon wedges
Crunchy salt
dill

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.

Related Topics