Every time I read all about famous restaurants and chefs, I
usually hear all about the food suppliers that support them. Strict standard
farmers, creative artisanal producers and daring fisherman supplying the very
best ingredients. The basic fact of the matter is, without good ingredients you
can’t have good food. In the French cafes and bistros this was a way of life.
Menus were based around what was fresh in the markets and restaurateurs who
were able to form relationships with the producers first hand always had a leg
up. I myself have never owned a restaurant but hey why can’t I have the same
thing going on? I’m always striking up conversations in the markets, cheese
shops, delis and butchers everywhere hoping to get the good stuff. Some of the
best cooking in my kitchen is inspired by these fresh exciting ingredients.
A friend of mine is constantly out fishing up and down the
west coast and I am always pestering him for a share of the spoils. Recently as
halibut season has come to a close he made a couple of big catches and was able
to supply me with all I needed. I have been eating Halibut non-stop and damn is
it delicious. It is better fish than I can get from the fish mongers in town and
I know that it was caught with care by someone who enjoys what they do: the
very best of producers.
Halibut is an amazing fish. It grows very large and isn’t as
delicate as most fish, allowing it to be cooked a little rougher than most. It
is excellent poached, excellent roasted, excellent pan fried, excellent
grilled. Compliment it with big bold flavors.
If halibut isn’t available where you are or if you want to
try this recipe with another fish it’ll still work but you have to be careful
not to overcook or it will fall apart.
Breaded Pan-fried Halibut with Fresh Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
Handful of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 egg, scrambled well with 2-3 tbsp of water
Two handfuls of bread crumbs, if you want to make your own
make sure they are very fine
A nice fillet of Halibut, skinned, rinsed and patted dry.
Try and keep the pieces on the thinner side so they cook evenly. I usually
shoot for 3”x3”x1” (squares one inch thick)
Oil for pan frying
A cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half and lightly salted
3 green onions, diced fine
1 clove of garlic, minced
Small handful of parsley, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
Method:
- Toss the tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil together in a bowl. Let it sit.
- Put the flour, egg and bread crumbs into three separate bowls.
- Dredge the halibut in the flour, then into the egg and finally into the bread crumbs. Make sure each time you dredge it gets fully and evenly covered, shaking off excess as you leave each coating.
- Preheat the oven to 400⁰ and at the same time preheat a frying pan on medium high with about a 1/8 inch of oil and a small amount of butter
- When the oil/butter is nice and hot, drop a breadcrumb in and if it sizzles it is ready to slowly add the halibut in.
- Cook the halibut until it is brown and then carefully turn and flip until its brown on each side, put it on a tray in the oven when it is brown all over. If it is a thin piece it won’t need long so check after five minutes or so, insert a sharp, thin knife into the middle and then remove a few seconds later.....is it warm? It’s done!
- Plate the fish simply with the salad on top. Delicious paired with some fresh greens!
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