Pan-Roasted Halibut with Caper Vinaigrette

by Sondra Bernstein
from The Girl & The Fig Cookbook
(Simon & Schuster, 2004)
Serves 6

For this dish, we like our halibut to have a very crispy skin, which we achieve only by using an extremely hot pan that burns the seasonings into the skin and locks in the juices. When you achieve this crispiness, the texture is exquisite.

We use blended oil for just about every recipe. Even plain olive oil, which we use here, can be very strong and in many recipes will overpower the dish, so we dilute the flavor with canola oil. This blend will be subtle and not overwhelm the other flavors in the dish.—Sondra Bernstein

convert Ingredients
For the blended oil
1 part olive oil, such as Critelli
3 parts canola oil

For the caper vinaigrette
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup blended oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt and pepper

For the halibut
6 halibut fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)
Salt and white pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Want it? Click it.

Method
Make the blended oil
1. Simply blend.

Make the caper vinaigrette
1. In a food processor or in a blender, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, garlic, and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the oil. Remove the mixture from the blender to a bowl and fold in the capers, mustard, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the halibut
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175C°F).

2. Gently season the halibut on both sides with salt and white pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof saute pan and sear the halibut on one side until lightly brown. Flip the fish over and sear the other side. Flip over again and place the pan in the oven to cook for 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Drizzle with the Caper Vinaigrette.

Recipe © 2004 Sondra Bernstein. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.