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Halibut Baked with Warm Shallot Compote

Source: RGJ.com - Halibut Recipes

For the compote:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
6 tablespoons olive oil
11/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley
6 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with onions, shallots and salt in medium frying or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring from time to time, until onions are soft. Add garlic and continue cooking 1 minute more. Stir in vinegar and tomato and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in bell pepper and 6 tablespoons olive oil and cook 5 minutes more. Add thyme, parsley and olives. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

For the fish and to serve:
1 shallot, finely chopped
Six 4-ounce pieces Alaskan halibut, about 1 inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fish stock (or 1/2 cup bottled clam juice and 1/2 cup water)

Butter a glass baking dish and scatter shallots on bottom. Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper and place in dish. Pour wine and fish stock around fish. Cover fillets with piece of buttered parchment paper, buttered side down, and bake in middle of 350 F oven until fish is firm to touch and flakes easily when prodded with fork, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer fish to warmed dinner plates, quickly pour about 1/2 cup cooking liquid from baking dish into compote in pan. Cook compote, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon compote generously over each piece halibut and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

From “The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook” by Mary Risley