Halibut with Vegetables and Porcini Brodo
Categories
Main DishThe Episode
This brodo, or broth, adds rich flavor to this dish. Reserve the maitake stems and green garlic tops from preparing the vegetables (below) to use here. To save time, you can skip making the brodo and instead use dry white wine for adding to the vegetables before serving.
Brodo
Ingredients
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- Reserved maitake stems
- Reserved green garlic tops, chopped
- 2 ounces dried porcini, soaked in hot water just to cover
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 to 6 bay leaves
- Water as needed
- Salt and ground black pepper
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, celery, fennel, onion, maitake stems, and green garlic tops. Cook until the vegetables are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the soaked porcini along with the soaking liquid, and the thyme and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover the vegetables and bring to a low simmer. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 1 hour.
- Strain the brodo into a clean pot and set it over medium heat. Simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Keep the brodo warm over low heat (or set aside and reheat before serving if made ahead).
Halibut and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1⁄2 pound asparagus, sliced on the bias
- 4 ounces maitake mushrooms, trimmed and torn into small clusters
- 1⁄2 pound green or spring garlic, trimmed, cleaned, and thinly sliced
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 4 pieces fresh halibut fillet (4 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
- Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
Directions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the asparagus, mushrooms, and green garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside while cooking the halibut.
- Dry the halibut pieces with paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan, then add the halibut and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the pieces over and continue cooking until the fish is no longer translucent in the center, about 3 minutes longer.
- While the halibut is cooking, add about 1 cup of the brodo (or 1/2 cup dry white wine) to the vegetables and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat.
- To serve, spoon the vegetables and brodo into 4 shallow serving bowls and top with the halibut. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil around the fish and serve.
Notes
Note: save stems from the maitake mushrooms and green ends from the garlic to be used in making the brodo, if using.
