Pan Roasted Halibut w Romesco

I have a big Romantic Dinner coming up. A client of mine wants to surprise his wife of 31 years for their anniversary, so he called me in to help him out. I gave him a few options that I thought would work. She likes Halibut and he likes Beef Filet, so I came up with a dish that will give her taste buds a big thrill.

We won’t really focus on what he’s eating today but I thought I would do a tester dish of my own to check the flavors and colors before I make her anniversary meal. I got to make sure it hits and what better way than to create it at home for my boys.

The tester meal was a smashing success and the flavors worked really well together. I love Romesco and I love Halibut…maybe that’s why everything tasted spectacular.

It’s funny when a Chef takes a bite of his or her food and then closes their eyes and takes a breath through their nose. That’s food love, baby! Think about that for a while. That shit came out better than what I expected and has a unique flavor profile. Speaking of flavor profile, I used my Flavor Crank Seafood Seasoning to season the halibut. That took it to another level.

I will compose the dish differently, as I will add a couple of sides and garnishes, etc. I will keep you posted.

Romesco Ingredients:

2 large roasted red bell peppers (You can use from a jar also)

8 oz canned fire-roasted tomatoes, well drained

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

1 cup toasted almonds roughly chopped         

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2-3 garlic cloves chopped

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

Juice of half a lemon

To Make the Romesco:

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend or pulse until you get the desired consistency. I wanted mine to be smooth because I wanted a certain look. Feel free to keep it chunky to maintain that rustic look. It all works. Pulse or blend. Remember to add salt to bring out those flavors.

Makes about 1.5-2 cups

Ingredients for Halibut:

2 - six ounce Halibut filets

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon of kosher salt

1-2 teaspoons of Flavor Crank’s Seafood Seasoning

2 cloves of fresh smashed garlic

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

To Make:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and season the Halibut with the Kosher salt and Flavor Crank seasoning on all sides. Place the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a preheated nonstick pan or skillet over a medium to high flame. Once the oil and butter are hot (Should be almost immediately) place the Halibut filets in the pan with the nicest side facing down. Allow to sear for about 3-4 minutes.

Once the first side is golden, turn the Halibut over with a fish or regular spatula. Place the remaining butter, thyme sprigs and garlic in the pan on one side towards you. Tilt the pan towards you and use a spoon to baste the Halibut with the butter making sure the thyme and garlic is laying in the butter as you baste for about 30 seconds.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and allow to cook for another 5-6 minutes or until the Halibut is flaky or at a temp of 135 degrees. Remove the Halibut from the oven and place the filets on a rack or paper towels to rest. Done.

To plate:

Spoon the Romesco sauce onto a platter or individual plates. Make your own design but make sure you can see the Romesco after you place the Halibut on top.

Add fresh chopped parsley and or sliced lemons to garnish. Enjoy.

Goto www.flavorcrank.com to get the Flavor Crank seasonings

Chef Johnnie