Pan-Seared Halibut With Spring Peas and Spinach-Pea Purée
This pan-seared halibut is served with a silky spinach and pea purée and sautéed fresh-shelled peas. It's a vibrant spring dish with bright lemon and herb accents.
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- blender
- Fine-mesh sieve
- large skillet
- small mixing bowl
Ingredients
Spinach-Pea Purée
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 3 cups fresh or frozen peas
- 5 cups spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup 35% whipping cream plus more for thinning
Sautéed Peas
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp chopped shallots
- 1 cup shelled fresh spring peas from about 450 g of pods
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Pea Shoots
- 4 cups pea shoots
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Pan-Seared Halibut
- 4 skinless halibut fillets 450 to 560 g total, pat dried
- sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 sprigs thyme leaves only
- 1 lemon zested and halved
- flaked sea salt to sprinkle
- 2 sprigs thyme to garnish
Instructions
Spinach-Pea Purée
- In large sauce-pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add peas, spinach and whipping cream and cook for 1 minute. Purée in blender until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir in up to 1/2 cup more warmed whipping cream to thin it out, if desired.
Sautéed Peas
- In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add peas, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until peas are tender, another minute or so.
Pea Shoots
- In bowl, toss pea shoots with oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pan-Seared Halibut
- Season fish with salt and pepper. In heavy-bottomed oven-safe skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Carefully place fish in pan. (If necessary, cook fish in batches to avoid overcrowding, which will keep it from caramelizing properly.) Reduce heat to medium and cook fish until a golden crust forms on skin, 2 minutes. Flip fish; add butter, thyme leaves and a squeeze of lemon over each fillet. Continue to cook, basting with the buttery juices, until browned and almost opaque all the way through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to plate.
- To serve, spread Spinach-Pea Purée on each plate. Top with sautéed peas and halibut. Garnish with pea shoots, lemon zest, flaked sea salt and thyme sprigs.