Halibut Fillet on Bed of Vegetables with "Burro Bianco" Sauce
Pan-seared halibut plated over a caramelized vegetable ragù with fingerling potatoes and mushrooms, finished with a rich butter sauce — an elegant, largely make-ahead entrée.
Ingredients
- ¾ lb. small fingerling potatoes, halved
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 small carrots, cut into batons
- 5 small cipolline onions, peeled and halved
- 2 tbs. unsalted butter
- 1 leek (white part only), cleaned and chopped
- 5 fresh sage leaves, julienned
- 1 oz. fresh black trumpet mushrooms, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- — for the sauce —
- 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- few branches fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6-7 black peppercorns
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- ½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- — for the fish —
- 4 halibut fillets, skinned, about 6 oz. each
- pinch of salt and pepper
- flour for dusting
- 4 tbs. canola oil + 2 tbs. unsalted butter
Directions
For the ragu: boil the potatoes in salted water about 20 minutes until fork-tender, then drain. Heat olive oil in a skillet, add the carrots and onions and cook about 10 minutes until caramelized. Add butter, potatoes, leek and sage and cook a minute more, then add the mushrooms and seasonings and cook 3 minutes more. Cover to keep warm.
For the sauce: heat olive oil in a small skillet, add the shallot and thyme and cook a minute. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns and vinegar and reduce 3-4 minutes. Off heat, whisk in the butter a little at a time until thickened, then strain.
For the fish: season lightly and dust with flour. Heat oil and butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the fillets 3-4 minutes per side, about 7 minutes total, until lightly colored.
To plate, spoon the vegetable ragu onto each plate, top with a fillet, and nap with the butter sauce.