Braised Halibut With Grilled Corn Cakes Recipes

GRILLED HALIBUT WITH INDIAN SPICES AND CORN RELISH

Steps:

• Combine cumin, turmeric, coriander, fennel, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste. Rub fish steaks on both sides with juice of 1/2 lemon, then rub with all but 2 teaspoons of spice mixture. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• While fish marinates, heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a skillet, add ginger and onion and sauté until onion just starts to brown. Stir in remaining spices and sauté, stirring, until spices smell toasty, then add corn and juice of 1/2 lemon. Cook briefly and set aside.
• Remove fish from refrigerator and brush on both sides with remaining ghee or butter. Heat grill and oil grates. When hot, place fish on grill over medium-hot coals or gas fire and cook about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to turn fish and grill 3 to 4 minutes, until a little liquid just begins to pool on surface of fish and a paring knife inserted just at the bone can move flesh away from it easily. Salmon should be cooked about 3 minutes on each side. Remove fish to a warm platter or individual plates.
• Reheat corn mixture, adding cilantro and a couple tablespoons water to moisten it. Spoon corn on fish, garnish with wedges cut from remaining lemon and serve.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH FENNEL IN PUTTANESCA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fennel and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir the garlic into the vegetables and cook 1 more minute, then stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes. Pour in the wine and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until most of the wine evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lemon zest, olives, capers and brine and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 4 minutes.
• Season the fillets with salt and pepper, nestle them in the sauce and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.

HALIBUT CAKES (CROQUETTES)

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add halibut fillets; season with salt and pepper. Cook until flesh flakes easily with a fork, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cool until easily handled, about 5 minutes. Flake into small chunks.
• Mix Italian cheese blend, egg, mayonnaise, onion, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, dry mustard, and seafood seasoning together in a large bowl. Gently mix in flaked halibut.
• Pour 3/4 cup bread crumbs into a shallow dish. Shape halibut mixture into 6 cakes and dip both sides in bread crumbs to coat.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add halibut cakes and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side.

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH ASPARAGUS, BABY POTATOES AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Crush saffron threads between your fingers and place in a small bowl or ramekin. Add 1 tablespoon warm water and set aside.
• In a mortar and pestle, pound together almonds, garlic and anchovies along with a pinch of salt into a paste. Set aside.
• In a heavy straight-sided skillet or wide saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, sear fish for 1 minute on each side. Remove to a plate or platter.
• Reduce heat to medium and add anchovy paste to pan. Cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pan, until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in 3 cups water and stir to deglaze bottom of pan. Add potatoes and a pinch of salt. (Don't salt to taste now or broth will become too salty when reduced later.) Bring to a boil. Add saffron with soaking water, reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Carefully add seared halibut fillets and asparagus to pan. Tip in any liquid that has accumulated on the plate or platter, and bring back to a bare simmer. Cover and poach gently for 5 minutes, or until fish is opaque and asparagus is tender. With a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove fish fillets to 4 warm wide soup bowls. If necessary, simmer asparagus for another minute or 2. It should be tender but not too soft.
• Divide potatoes and asparagus among the bowls. Turn up heat and reduce liquid in pan by half, stirring. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in parsley and basil and simmer 20 to 30 seconds. Spoon broth over fish and vegetables and serve.