Fillet of halibut with potato crust and cider cream sauce

  • medium
  • 4
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
Not yet rated

The crisp potato crust adds an extra dimension to the pan-fried halibut in Mark Dodson's elegant recipe. Served with a creamy cider sauce, the dish is beautifully presented with apple and carrot balls, as well as vibrant French beans and wild asparagus.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Potato-crusted halibut

Cider sauce

To serve

Equipment

  • Parisian scoop / melon baller
  • Thermometer

Method

1
Begin by preparing the sauce. Add the cider and a pinch of sugar to a pan and reduce by two thirds. Add the veal stock, reduce by half, then add the double cream
  • 275ml of cider, medium-sweet
  • 1 pinch of sugar
  • 150ml of veal stock
  • 200ml of double cream
2
Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce again until there is 180ml left. Season to taste and set aside until required
3
Peel and cut the potato for the fish into matchstick-sized pieces. Blanch in vegetable oil at 110°C until soft but not coloured. Drain on absorbent towel and leave to cool
4
Once cool, add the potato to a bowl with a pinch of salt and the 2 yolks, mixing together until combined. Dust the halibut fillets with a light coating of flour, then apply a thin layer of potato mixture to each one. Set aside in the fridge until required
5
Using a Parisian scoop, make 24 apple balls (keep submerged in water when not using) and 24 carrot balls. Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil, lower the carrot balls in and cook until tender, then strain and set aside. Add a dash of oil to a pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the apple balls and fry until lightly browned, then set aside
6
To cook the fish, heat a little oil in a large pan. Cook the halibut fillets (potato-side down) over a gentle heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown but not too coloured. Turn over the fish and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until cooked to your liking
  • olive oil
7
Meanwhile, reheat the apples over a low heat and gently reheat the carrots in the sauce. Cook the French beans and wild asparagus in salted, gently boiling water for 2-3 minutes until tender, then strain and keep warm
8
Place a small bed of the French beans in the centre of each plate and place the fish on top. Arrange the carrot, apple and asparagus around the fish. Serve immediately with a hot jug of the strained sauce and some fresh chervil
First published in 2015

Mark Dodson speaks the language of comfort food with Shakespearean fluency, turning perfectly formed elements into down-to-earth (but heavenly) compositions.

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