Equipment
Ingredients
Halibut
- 300 g halibut fillets, pin bones removed
- 15 ml olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Prawn Butter Sauce
- 250 g whole raw prawns, heads and shells only
- 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic, smashed
- 50 ml dry white wine
- 30 ml heavy cream
Broccoli
- 300 g broccoli, cut into florets
Herb Breadcrumbs
- 40 g panko breadcrumbs
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Remove the heads and shells from the raw prawns. Reserve the shells and heads for the sauce, and store the meat in the refrigerator for another recipe. Prepare all other vegetables and herbs as indicated.
Melt 15g of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until deeply golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the chopped parsley, dill, and lemon zest. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 15g of the cubed butter. Add the reserved prawn heads, shells, chopped shallot, and smashed garlic. Saute, crushing the heads slightly with a wooden spoon to release their juices, until the shells turn bright orange-red.
Pour the white wine into the saucepan with the prawn shells. Simmer until the wine has almost entirely evaporated. Add the heavy cream and the remaining 85g of cubed butter. Turn the heat to low and simmer very gently to infuse the flavors.
Remove the prawn butter from the heat and carefully pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Press down hard on the shells to extract all the flavorful liquid, then discard the solids. Cover the bowl to keep the sauce warm.
Bring a medium saucepan of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain immediately and keep warm.
Wipe out the large skillet used for the breadcrumbs and place it over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Season the halibut fillets generously with salt and black pepper. Place the fillets in the skillet and sear undisturbed until a golden crust forms on the bottom, then flip and cook the other side until the internal temperature reaches 63°C/145°F.
Divide the warm blanched broccoli between two plates. Place a halibut fillet next to or slightly overlapping the broccoli. Spoon the warm prawn butter generously over the fish, and top immediately with a handful of the crispy herb breadcrumbs.
Chef's Notes
- Reserving prawn shells and heads in the freezer is an excellent culinary habit. They contain immense flavor and can be quickly transformed into rich bisques, oils, or flavored butters.
- When sauteing the prawn heads, crushing them is essential. The most profound crustacean flavors reside in the head juices, which need to be coaxed out into the fat.
- Ensure the broccoli is shocked in ice water if you are not serving it immediately after blanching. This arrests the cooking process and locks in the vibrant green color.
- The herb breadcrumbs, classically known as pangrattato, add an essential crunch that cuts through the richness of the butter sauce. Make extra, as it keeps well in an airtight container for sprinkling over pastas or salads.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Fish is best eaten immediately. Leftover prawn butter can be refrigerated and gently reheated.
Freezer: 1 month — Prawn butter can be frozen. Do not freeze cooked halibut or breadcrumbs.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently over very low heat to prevent breaking. Halibut can be warmed in a 150C oven until just heated through.
