Poached Fish with Tomatoes and Purple Basil
Drenched in butter which has been flavored with tomatoes and purple basil, these fillets are succulent and delicious. This is a wonderful way to cook fish fillets, leaving the fish very moist. The “cap” of parchment paper acts as a lid, yet lets steam escape (under a pan lid, the steam condenses and drips back into the pan).
Ingredients
- Halibut Fillets - 2, 6 ounces each
- Unsalted Butter - 5 ounces (10 tablespoons)
- Fish Stock - 1 cup
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Tomatoes - 1 large or two medium, seeded, skinned, and chopped
- Purple Basil - 1 cup, chopped
- Basil Sprigs - 2 purple
Instructions
Remove the skin from the fillets. In a saute pan, melt 1 ounce of the butter. Add the fish and cover with the fish stock. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Cut a disc of parchment paper to fit just inside the perimeter of the pan and cover the mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Turn the fish and simmer 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, take off the paper, and let stand for 1 minute. Remove the fish from the pan and drain on a towel or napkin.
Strain the pan juices and put in another pan; bring to a boil and reduce by one-third in volume. Add the tomatoes and basil to the pan and cook 1 minute to heat. Whisk in the remaining butter, a tablespoon or two at a time. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve: Place a fillet on each warmed serving plate. Spoon the sauce over and around the fish. Garnish each with a purple basil sprig.
