Halibut season is in full swing, and you’ll need more than just a roasted halibut recipe to take advantage of the bounty. At Coquille Fine Seafood, chef Jack Chen offers this poached halibut with grilled escarole and oyster buerre blanc to celebrate the season. In case you can’t make it to Gastown to try, you can make it at home with his recipe.
Curing salt
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let it sit at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
Poaching liquid
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to about 55 °C to 60 °C and hold at this temp until ready to use.
Oyster beurre blanc
Add wine, shallots and bay leaf to a pan over medium heat and reduce until you have a syrup-like liquid. Add cream and reduce down to about 1/2 cup.
Reduce heat to low and slowly add cubes of butter into cream mixture, whisking until emulsified. Continue whisking while adding a few cubes of butter at a time.
Once butter is fully emulsified, season with salt, lemon juice and chopped oysters.
Finish sauce with a mixture of finely chopped parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon.
Escarole
Preheat barbecue to high. Grill escarole until wilted and slightly charred.
In a separate bowl, combine olive oil and lemon juice. Dress escarole with vinaigrette and sprinkle with salt.
Assembly
Add halibut to curing salt and cure for about 30 minutes. Wash thoroughly and dry.
Add cured halibut to prepared poaching liquid and poach for approximately 7 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of fish. Once fish is poached, carefully remove it from the liquid.
Season with Maldon salt and lemon juice.
Add dressed escarole to top of halibut.
Cover fish and escarole thoroughly with oyster beurre blanc sauce.
