Words Brent Whitaker, West Pacific Seafoods
Photo Janis Jean
Halibut is always a good choice. This iconic local fish is incredibly versatile, whether grilled, baked, broiled or pan-seared. It’s also a highly nutritious choice, packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins like B12 and D, which contribute to heart health, brain function and overall well-being.
Salted Halibut Croquette with Wasabi Pea Puree, Pickled Apple, and Brown Butter Broccoli Crumble
100 g halibut scraps (or just halibut pieces cut into small cubes)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp prepared wasabi
1 head broccoli
½ lb + 1 tbsp butter
salt & pepper
smoked paprika
¼ cup white sugar +
homogenized milk
3 russet potatoes
panko breadcrumbs
vegetable oil
olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
1 Granny Smith apple
1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
5 sprigs fresh thyme
- Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Boil frozen peas until tender. Transfer the peas to a blender, add wasabi, and blend on high until smooth. Taste test for seasoning and adjust with salt as needed. Transfer to a small bowl and chill in the fridge.
- Lightly shave the top of a broccoli with a sharp knife. Finely chop the broccoli tips. In a small pot on medium heat, add butter and melt. Once melted, add in the broccoli and cook until the butter browns and the broccoli gets crispy. Strain off the butter and dry the crumble on a paper towel. Set aside.
- Using halibut trimmings, generously coat with a 50/50 mixture of salt and white sugar. Set aside in the fridge for 24 hours. Rinse the sugar and salt mixture off with cold water. Add the cured trim to a small pot, cover with homogenized milk, and bring to a boil. Strain the halibut and repeat this process three times. Set aside. Make smooth mashed potatoes. Combine the cooked halibut and potato and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Chill mixture in the fridge. Form the mixture into little balls and roll them in panko breadcrumbs. Place the breaded croquettes back in the fridge until chilled. When ready, shallow fry the croquettes until golden brown on the outside and hot on the inside.
- Bring apple cider vinegar, sugar and water to a boil. Set aside to cool in the fridge. Peel apple and carefully cut into half-centimetre cubes. Place them in the chilled pickling liquid and reserve for later.
- Allow the halibut steak to come to room temperature prior to cooking. Heat a medium-sized pan on medium/high heat. Add a small touch of olive oil. Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Sear the halibut in the hot pan. Once there is a nice colour, reduce the heat to medium/low and add a tablespoon of butter, fresh lemon and thyme to the pan. Baste the halibut until cooked, only flipping the fish over at the last minute.
Buttermilk Fried Halibut Cheeks with Chipotle Lime Aioli
8-10 small to medium halibut cheeks
½ l buttermilk
fresh thyme
black peppercorns
peel of 1 lemon
egg yolk
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp grainy mustard
1 tsp water
1 tsp sale
½ cup olive oil
50 g adobo pepper, chopped
2 limes – juice and zest
cornmeal
vegetable oil
- Add buttermilk, thyme, peppercorns, and the lemon peel into a bowl.
- Soak the cheeks in this mixture for 24 hours prior to cooking.
- In a small dish or cup, add egg yolk, white wine vinegar, grainy mustard, water, salt, and olive oil. Using a stick blender, emulsify the ingredients. Season with chopped adobo pepper, lime zest and lime juice.
- Remove the halibut cheeks from the buttermilk. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Add a generous amount of cornmeal to a plate. Coat all sides of the soaked cheeks in the cornmeal.
- Shallow fry the breaded cheeks in a medium pan on medium/high heat until golden brown on the outside and hot on the inside.
Seaweed-Wrapped Halibut Steak with Cabbage/Mushroom/Bacon Salad
2 lbs halibut bones
4 oz boneless halibut steak
1 lemon
1 head garlic
20 g ginger
1 bunch green onion
3 bay leaves
10 g black peppercorns
2 star anise
soy sauce
sesame oil
1 shallot
¼ head green cabbage
1 tsp salt
4 slices thick cut bacon
75 g cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp Chinese five spice
1 tsp granulated garlic
2 nori sheets
- Roast halibut bones in a 450°F oven until golden brown. Place them in a large stock pot with a lemon cut in half, a head of garlic cut in half, a chunk of ginger cut in half, a bunch of green onion, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and 2 star anise. Fill the pot with water until the water level is 2 inches above the top of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for up to 6 hours. Strain. Add soy sauce to adjust seasoning. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil. Set aside.
- Peel a shallot and using a sharp knife or a mandolin, thinly slice the shallot into little rings. Coat the shallot rings in cornstarch and shallow fry in a olive oil in a medium pan on medium heat until golden brown and crispy. Strain the shallot out and lay on paper towel to dry. Set aside.
- Thinly slice a quarter head of cabbage and place it into a bowl with a teaspoon of salt. Mix and set aside for 20 minutes. Cut thick sliced bacon into bits, and good them on a medium heat in a pan until crispy. Strain the bacon out but reserve the bacon fat in the pan. Turn the heat onto high and once the bacon fat is hot, add thinly sliced oyster mushrooms. Pan roast the mushrooms until they are golden brown and tender. Run cold water over the salted cabbage to remove the excess salt. Add cabbage to the hot mushroom pan. Lightly roast. Add the bacon, a Chinese five spice, and a teaspoon of granulated garlic. Thoroughly mix and set aside.
- Lay a sheet of plastic film on a work table. Working quickly, dip nori sheets into a small bowl of cold water until they start to become malleable. Quickly pat dry on paper towel and lay flat on the film. Pat dry the top of the nori sheet with paper towel to remove moisture. Place a 4oz boneless halibut steak in the center of the nori sheet. Using the plastic film, encase the halibut steak in the nori sheet. Once fully wrapped, use the film to tightly wrap the nori halibut. Chill in the fridge for one hour. Unwrap the halibut, and using a steamer, or a rack on a medium pot full of simmering water, gently place the nori-wrapped halibut into the steamer and steam for 5-6 minutes. The halibut should be lightly firm to the touch.
