Oklahoma Cooks
Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Fennel and Parsley Coulis
Serves 2
Equipment Needed
1 cutting board 1 chefs knife (1) 2 quart enamel cast iron pot 1 fish spatula or other slotted spatula or spoon (1) 10 inch plate or sizzle platter (1) 8 inch saut pan (1) 10 inch saut pan Foil (1) 1 quart sauce pot 1 strainer 1 blender 2 dinner plates Mixing bowl filled with ice water Cheesecloth or heavy paper towels
Ingredients
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil 1 head fennel with tops, tops removed and reserved, bulb cut into 8 pieces Salt to taste 6 oz white wine 1 oz pernod (optional) 1 Tb Extra virgin olive oil cup panko bread crumbs Pinch fennel pollen 1 tsp fennel fronds, chopped Salt and piment dEspelette 1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
1 quart of water for blanching 1 Tb Extra virgin olive oil Salt to taste (2) 5 to 6 oz pieces of halibut, skin removed Salt to taste 1 quart extra virgin olive oil (or more to cover the fish completely), 1 cup fennel stems, rough chopped
Method
1. Preheat a 10 inch saut pan on medium heat. Add the evoo and then the 8 pieces of fennel bulb in a single layer. Begin to saut the fennel until it begins to caramelize. This should take about 5 minutes. Turn the fennel over to the other side and add the white wine and Pernod. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover with foil or a lid and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the fennel is tender. Be careful not to cook to high and evaporate all of the wine too quickly. 2. While the fennel is braising, preheat an 8 inch saut pan on medium low heat and add 1 Tb of evoo. Add the cup of bread crumbs, pinch of fennel pollen, salt, and piment dEspelette to the pan. Lightly toast the bread crumbs and finish this mixture off the heat with the fennel fronds. Set aside 3. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and add the parsley leaves. Blanch in the boiling water for about 15 seconds. Remove and shock in ice water to stop the cooking. Remove from the ice water and squeeze excess water away with cheesecloth of heavy paper towels. 4. Place the leaves in the blender and add just enough water to get it to start a puree. Add 1 Tb evoo and salt to taste. Set aside 5. Preheat the enamel cast iron pot and add 1 quart of olive oil to the pot. Heat the oil to about 160 F. Add the cup of roughly chopped fennel stems. 6. Season the fish with salt and add it to the oil. If the fish is not submerged in oil, add enough to cover. Turn off the heat and allow the fish to poach at 160 F for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the halibut is cooked medium 135 F internal temp to 140F at most. 7. Remove the halibut from the oil and set on the edge of a plate or sizzle platter to drain any excess oil.
8. To plate, place 2 oz of parsley coulis on the bottom of the plate, arrange 3 to 4 pieces of fennel on top of the coulis, place the fish on top of the fennel, and garnish the fish with the toasted bread crumb mixture. Enjoy!