Tag Archives: halibut

Halibut with leeks and crab Beurre Blanc from Brasserie 19

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Chef Amanda McGraw is one of the few female executive chefs in Houston and she runs the kitchen at one of the busiest restaurants in town: Brasserie 19. Halibut is a delicious fish and McGraw shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make it with melted leeks and a crab beurre blanc. Chef McGraw says that people should not be afraid to make a beurre blanc sauce and she demonstrates how to do it.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston,
listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, she gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)

Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut with Jumbo Lump Crab, Melted Leeks, Herb Beurre Blanc (yields 4 servings)
Chef Amanda McGraw, Brasserie 19

Tip: Have your sauce & vegetables prepped and ready before starting the fish.

Alaskan Halibut Ingredients

  • 4-7 oz center cut portions of Alaskan halibut, no pin bones, no skin
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or grapeseed oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground white pepper
  • ½ C chicken stock

 

Directions
1. In a sauté pan over high heat add oil.
2. Season both sides of fish. Place fish presentation side down in pan. Reduce heat to medium high. Do not touch it or flip it.
It should be a nice golden brown sear. Fish should cook about ¾ of the way on one side before flipping.
3. Flip over, add stock and continue cooking about 3 more minutes until done. 7 minutes per inch of thickness.

Melted Leeks Ingredients

  • 6 cups sliced & washed leeks, white & light green part only
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • ¼ lb butter, unsalted
  • 1 tbsp vegetable or grapeseed oil
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground white pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large pan, add leeks, reduce heat to medium. Do not allow leeks to brown.
Sweat leeks down for about 5 minutes.
2. Add white wine. Reduce wine out until the leeks are just wet.
3. Add butter, salt & white pepper.

Baby Carrots Ingredients

  • 1 bunch baby carrots
  • Water
  • Salt

Directions
1. Wash carrots.
2. Bring pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots & blanch carrots until just tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Chill in ice bath, dry, slice in half lengthwise.

Asparagus Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of asparagus

Directions
1. Use same pot of water as used for carrots. Bring to a boil, blanch asparagus until just tender, about 2 minutes.
2. Chill in ice bath, dry, cut in thirds on a bias.

Beurre Blanc Sauce Ingredients

  • ½ lb jumbo lump crab, remove any shell pieces
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • A few sprigs of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and chilled
  • 1 bunch chives, minced
  • Lemon juice to taste

Directions
1. In sauté pan add shallots, thyme, bay leaf, white wine, vinegar.
Reduce until au sec (nearly dry), add cream, reduce by half.
2. Remove from heat & gradually whisk in butter.
3. Season, strain, add lemon juice to taste, add warmed crab & chives.

Cleverley’s Corner: March Means Halibut Season!

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Source: Chef Charles Clark, Ibiza Food & Wine Bar

Harvested along the Pacific coast from Northern California to Alaska, halibut is low in fat and mild in flavor. Chef Charles Clark from Ibiza Food & Wine Bar shows Houston restaurant journalist Cleverley Stone how to make a melt-in-your-mouth dish with this fish.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show, Saturdays at Noon on KIKK-650 AM. (Remember, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • Six 8 ounce halibut filets
  • 6 heirloom tomatoes (can substitute regular tomatoes)
  • ¼ lb black olives with seeds (can substitute olives without seeds)
  • garlic, as needed
  • ¼ lb unsalted butter (cold)
  • 1 cup virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup white wine
  • grape seed oil, as needed
  • sea salt, as needed
  • roasted ground pepper, as needed

Directions

  1. To braise tomatoes: Core, clean and cut tomatoes in half.
  2. Place onto baking sheet, cut side down, season with garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.
  3. Cook in oven at 200 degrees for 4 hours.
  4. Turn oven temperature down to 100 degrees and keep warm till served.
  5. De-seed the black olives and place into food processor.
  6. Add olive oil and pulse until mixture is cloudy and black (about 5-7 seconds).
  7. Season to taste and set aside at room temperature.
  8. Season the halibut filets with oil, salt and pepper. Place next to stove.
  9. Place a large, oven proof skillet onto burner, heat to very high temperature.
  10. Add 1 tablespoon of grape seed oil, heat to smoke point.
  11. Place all halibut filets into skillet and sear for 2 minutes, turn filets over add half cup
    of white wine and ¼ lb of butter, place into 400 degree oven till done about 8-10 minutes.
  12. To serve: Place two braised tomatoes on center of dinner plate, place one halibut filet
    on top and drizzle with black olive oil mixture and serve.