February 10, 2008

Pierre's Poached Halibut Recipe

Chef Pierre recently served this lovely halibut and I thought it would be a nice recipe to share with all of you.  For Christmas, Pierre received a wonderful Canon G9 digital camera and he has really embraced it and uses it all the time now to photograph his kitchen creations.  He’s gotten to be quite an artiste of photography.  These are his very own photos and I hope you’ll be inspired to try his recipe!  The flavors are fresh and bright, just like Pierre's pictures!

Here are Pierre’s ingredients to make 4 servings
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4    medium leeks
2    garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1    cup vegetable stock (not shown)
8    small red potatoes
1    bunch of parsley
4    5 oz. pieces of halibut fillets
      skim milk (not shown)
4 - 8     eggs

Wash the leeks thoroughly and slice diagonally.  In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sautÈ the leeks with the garlic.  Add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water, cover pan and simmer until tender – about 20 minutes.
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Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with water, and boil until tender.  Pierre feels you should know how long this will take.  Drain, peel with a sharp paring knife, and slice into 1/4 inch thickness.  Add to leeks.
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Chop 1/2 cup of parsley and add to leeks.
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Meanwhile, place the halibut in a pan with enough skim milk to just cover.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Bring to a boil, cover pan, and gently simmer for 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.
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Fill a pot half full with water.  Add 1/4 cup vinegar and bring to a boil.
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Drop the cracked eggs into the water and simmer until set, about
1 - 1/2 minutes.
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Using a slotted spoon, lift the poached eggs out of the water and drain on a clean towel.
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To assemble and serve – spoon 1/4 of the leek mixture onto a serving plate.  Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift a piece of halibut and place it on top of the leek mixture.  Then, place a poached egg or two on top of the halibut.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
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CHEF’S NOTE – Pierre says if you want to make this dish extra special, shave some fresh truffle over the top just before serving.