Halibut Enrobed in a Crisp Potato Crust
This dish joins tender New England halibut with oysters, another native crop. The halibut is topped with a crisp crust of buttery Yukon Gold potatoes that resembles fish scales. It takes some skill to turn the fillets when frying prior to baking, so this is not a dish for the novice cook. The fish may be wrapped in the potato slices and the sauce and garnish may be prepared up to 6 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate the fish and sauce, and keep the garnish at room temperature.
Ingredients
- Yukon Gold Potatoes - 4 large
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup (2 sticks), melted
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Halibut Fillets - 4, about 5 to 6 ounces each
- Sauce
- Oysters - 20, shucked and liquor reserved
- Dry White Vermouth - 1/2 cup
- Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon, fresh
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 2 tablespoons
- Unsalted Butter - 1/2 cup (1 stick), cold, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
- Clarified Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Garnish
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Leek - 1, washed and cut into julienne
- Red Bell Pepper - 1, seeded, deribbed, and cut into julienne
- Carrot - 1, peeled and cut into julienne
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Osetra - 1 tablespoon (alt. sevruga caviar)
Instructions
To prepare the fish: Peel the potatoes, slice them in half lengthwise, and square off three sides of the potato half. Cut the fourth side using a round, fluted cookie or biscuit cutter to make a scalloped side. Stand the potatoes on end with the scalloped side facing up and slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place the slices in a bowl of ice water to prevent discoloration.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Season the butter with salt and pepper. When the butter has melted completely, drain the potato slices, pat them dry on paper towels, and add the potato slices to the butter. Cook them for 3 minutes; this should be done in batches so as not to crowd the pan.
Season the halibut fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Taking 1 potato slice at a time, layer the potato slices over the halibut fillets to resemble scales, leaving 1/4 inch between each scalloped edge. Trim the edge of the potato layer to match the edge of the fish, then cover and refrigerate the fillets until ready to use.
To make the sauce: Remove the oysters from their liquor and strain the liquor through a fine-meshed sieve. In a medium saucepan, combine the vermouth and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Cook to reduce by half, or until the liquid is almost the consistency of glaze. Add the strained oyster liquor and cook to reduce again to the same consistency. Add the cream and reduce again until thick. Gradually whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, making sure each piece has been incorporated into the sauce before adding the next. Set the sauce aside and keep warm over barely tepid water, or put in an insulated container.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In an ovenproof saute pan or skillet, heat the clarified butter over medium-high heat. Carefully slip the halibut fillets, potato-side down, into the butter. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn the fish carefully with a wide metal spatula and place the pan in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the fish is mostly opaque but still slightly translucent in the center.
While the fish is cooking, prepare the garnish: Melt the butter in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the leek, red pepper, and carrot, and saute, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and keep warm.
Place the vermouth sauce over medium heat, add the oysters, and cook them just until their edges begin to ruffle, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To serve: Arrange the vegetable mixture in five small mounds around each plate. Place 1 oyster on each mound of vegetables. Ladle five small pools of the sauce between the vegetables piles and garnish with the caviar. Drain the fish briefly on paper towels and place a potato-crusted fillet in the center of each plate.
