ROASTED HALIBUT, MASHED POTATO, A CORN AND CRAB CONFIT AND A HALIBUT BRILL, SUGAR SNAP PEAS

Steps:

• Brill: In a roasting pan, roast in the oven the onion, carrot, celery, cloves, bay leaves, black peppercorn and fish bones about 30 minutes until a dark brown color. Remove from oven and place all the ingredients in a small stock pot over high heat. Add 1 cup wine and water until just covering bones. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and discard everything; keep only the broth. Let this reduce over medium heat until only 1/4 of volume remains. Add the other half of wine, lemon juice and 2 cups water. Let reduce again by half. Set this aside.
• Mashed Potato: Peel and dice potato, top with salted water and boil until just cooked through; do not overcook to mush or cloudy water. While potato is cooking, take half of the butter and the half and half in a small saucepot. Place on low temperature; you only want butter to melt. Medium dice remaining butter and keep cold. Once potato is cooked, strain from liquid, place on baking sheet and sit in a hot oven, about 4 to 5 minutes. Take potato out of oven, put in a food mill along with cold butter cubes. Mill through and with a wooden spoon fold in butter and half and half mixture. Incorporate mixture until potato is velvety in texture; add salt and pepper to taste.
• Turnout: In a heated saucepan add olive oil. Bring to smoking hot, season fillet with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Sear flesh side of fillet until medium brown color. Turn to skin side and finish cooking in oven at 375 degrees (about 12 to 15 minutes). In a saute pan, bring 1/2 cup water to boil add 1-ounce of butter and salt and pepper; this will emulsify; then add the sugar snap peas. Bring the brill up to a good simmer in a separate pan. Heat confit if it has gotten cool.
• Presentation: On the entree plate, place a large ring cutter No. 95 in the center of plate. Fill halfway with mashed potato, then fill with the corn and crab confit. Place around the ring the snap peas, then remove ring. Once halibut is cook through, place on top of the confit and mashed potato, pour heated brill around on the plate (should be brothy). Garnish with fresh sprig of rosemary or purple basil
• Confit: In a brazier, place 1-ounce of butter, fennel and onion. Sweat down until onions are translucent. In a separate saute pan over high heat, add corn kernels, then 1-ounce of butter; 1/2 cup sugar, thyme, brown the corn, then add to fennel and onion mixture. Add 1 cup wine, apple juice, cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 cups sugar, white vinegar and wine. Cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates. Strain into colander; add parsley, matchstick chives and crabmeat. Fold into mixture; set aside.