Printer Friendly Pages © www.ChefBernard.com
August 2006

Reflection:

Just for the Halibut
Three years ago, I flew to Alaska to visit friends and family who live in Nikiski .
Nikiski is located on the Kenai Peninsula, 9 miles north of the City of Kenai, off of the Sterling Highway.
Traditionally in Kenaitze Indian territory, the area was homesteaded in the 1940s, and grew with the discovery of oil on the Kenai Peninsula in 1957. By 1964, oil-related industries located here included Unocal, Phillips 66, Chevron and Tesoro. 10.1% of the population are Alaska Native or part Native.
The scenery was heaven on earth; beautiful mountains, a dream come true for me - the flying fisherman. I caught a lot of salmon, but my most memorabley was a half day on a boat fishing for halibut. I caught a 74 pound halibut and on that day, I didn't need to go to the gym. It took me 45 minutes to bring him in. What a catch!
I have created a signature recipe that reflects the bounty of summer vegetables, a sauce named piperade from the south of France. A salad made of fingerling potatoes and hearts of palm. These two sides will showcase the delicate flavor of a wonderful fish with a healthy edge.

Tip:

When cooking halibut, one has to remember to never overcook it. Halibut should always be cooked between medium rare and medium with a resting period of two minutes.
The flesh has just begun to turn from translucent to opaque. It is firm, but still moist. For a home cook, I would suggest to insert a wooden skewer through the fish. When inserting the skewer, there should be a little bit of resistence. If the skewer goes through too easily, your fish is overcooked. What I love about halibut is the versatility of preperation and the nutritional benefits. It is a very light, lean fish. Delicate and sweet. It can be broiled, grilled, baked, stir fried, sauteed, steamed or poached.

Wine Pairing:
Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
Reisling from Alsace
Voignier from California


Recipe:

"M'Ocean Fennel Pollen and Leek Crusted Alaskan Halibut"
serves six


Leek and Parsley Crust
1/3 cup leeks, minced, white part only, washed, patted dry
1 tsp. M'Ocean Chef Bernard's fennel pollen spices
1 tsp. thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
** sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup parsley, washed, patted dry chopped
In skillet over medium heat, wilt leeks with olive oil. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place leeks in mixing bowl. Let cool. Fold in thyme, fennel pollen and parsley.


Alaskan Halibut
6 ~ 7 oz. Alaskan halibut fillets
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
** sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spread leek and parsley mixture on halibut. Heat olive oil in non-stick skillet at medium heat. Place halibut, mixture side down in skillet. Cook 3 minutes without browning. Flip over. Cook additional 3 minutes, or until done.


Hearts of Palm and Crimson Fingerling Potatoes
1 pound crimson fingerling potatoes, peeled, sliced
1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1/2 cup hearts of palm, sliced, fresh if available
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
** sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. truffle oil
Quickly blanch potatoes in boiling water 1 minute. Remove to ice bath. Drain. Toss with chopped parsley. Melt butter in large non stick skillet over medium high heat to light brown and foamy. Sauté hearts of palm and potatoes 1 minute. Season with sea salt and pepper. Drizzle with truffle oil.

Piperade Sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup sweet bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 cup tomato, peeled, seeded, diced
1 lemon, peeled, seeded, diced
20 black Niçoise olives, pitted, chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. flat leafed parsley, coarsely chopped
** sea salt
** freshly ground white pepper
In medium saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, and bell pepper. Cook 5 minutes stirring ocassionally. Do not allow vegetables to color. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to boil. Lower heat. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in lemon and Niçoise olives. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Pour in extra virgin olive oil. Gently incorporate parsley with wooden spoon. Season to taste.

Presentation
6 sprigs lemon thyme
6 sprigs flat leafed parsley
Place crimson fingerling potatoes and hearts of palm in center of a warm serving plate. Top with halibut. Spoon piperade sauce around. Garnish with lemon thyme sprig and parsley.


 

Bon Appetit!!
Executive Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room, La Jolla, California





Close Window

www.ChefBernard.com 2006 - Web Design Frank Tycer - http;//www.FrankTycer.com