Pan Roasted Halibut over sweet & spicy corn-jalapeño-pineapple-rutabaga compote with a Lemon-wine Sauce
Spring through early Fall is the perfect time for fresh halibut. Its firm, white, and mild flesh makes it an ideal fish to prepare in lots of ways, from simply stewed or broiled, to grilled and pan seared. Predictably, when we saw fresh halibut steaks at our local fish store, we bought some at once and “dressed it up” for an early Cinco de Mayo celebration.
The Halibut:
~ 2 medium-large halibut steaks (about 1 to 1.5 lbs)
~ 3 Tbsp canola oil
~ Chives and cilantro for garnish
In a heavy sauté or cast iron pan, heat the oil and pan sauté the halibut steaks several minutes per side. Pressing down often with a spatula will help emphasize the fish’s beautiful fleshy pattern (see above picture). Remove from heat and set aside to ensure a moist and meaty steak.
The Vegetables (prepare first):
~ 3 ears of sweet corn, boiled, kernels shaved off the cob
~ 1 medium rutabaga, peeled, diced, boiled until slightly crunchy, drained
~ 3-4 jalapeños, seeded, and minced
~ 2 slices of pineapple, diced, plus 3 Tbsp pineapple juice liquid
~ 1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
~ 1 Tbsp ground cumin
~ 2 Tbsp olive oil
~ Salt & Pepper to taste
In a medium skillet, sauté the red pepper and jalapeños in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the corn kernels, rutabaga, diced pineapple and its juice/syrup, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to blend well. Turn off burner and cover vegetables.
The sauce:
~ 1 cup plus 3 Tbsp white wine
~ 1 Tbsp cornstarch
~ 2 Tbsp tequila
~ 1/3 cup lemon juice
~ 1 small shallot, chopped
~ 4-6 black peppercorns
~ 1 bay leaf
To serve, arrange vegetable compote in the center of two large dinner plates. Place the fish steak on top and spoon sauce over fish and vegetables. Add the chives and cilantro, or your favorite garnish, and disfrute bien. Happy Cinco de Mayo to all.
