It's not often I am so pleased with a meal...

[untateve]

With a special thanks to loaf on the rouxbe.com website, this is what I created tonight:

 

Pancetta Wrapped Halibut

Smoky pancetta wrapped halibut served with a dijon cream sauce and sautéed cabbage.

Active Time: 1 hr

Total Time: 1 hr 45 min

Serves: 4

Step 1: Making the Dijon Cream Sauce

• 2 tbsp. butter

• 2 tbsp. minced shallots (approx. 2 shallots)

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 2 cups whipping cream (heavy cream)

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/8 tsp. ground white pepper

Heat a fry pan over medium heat and add the butter and let melt slightly. Add the minced shallots and sauté for about one minute. Add white wine and let reduce until only a few tablespoons remain, stirring occasionally. Add whipping cream and let it come to a quick boil then immediatly turn the heat to medium low and reduce the sauce by at least half, whisking occasionally. Be sure cream does not boil over. This will take approximately 10 to 12 minutes on medium-low heat. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or keep warm, covered in a baine marie.

Step 2: Preparing and Wrapping the Halibut

• 4 5 oz pieces halibut

• 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

• 24 slices pancetta (thinly sliced)

Season each piece of halibut with white or freshly ground black pepper. Wrap each piece with 6 slices of pancetta, 3 on top and 3 on the bottom overlapping each slice while taking care to wrap the edges. Lightly squeeze the pancetta and halibut to seal it together.

Step 3: Cooking Pancetta Wrapped Halibut

• 1 tbsp. butter or oil

Heat frying pan over medium high heat, add butter or oil and let melt. Cook halibut for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the fish. You may need to turn the down heat to medium, so the pancetta does not get too crispy or burn. Allow the halibut to rest for about 2 or 3 minutes before plating it.

Step 4: Sautéing the Cabbage

• 1/2 head cabbage

• 2 tbsp. butter

• 1/4 tsp. salt

Core cabbage, remove outer leaves. Dice cabbage. Melt butter over medium heat. Sauté cabbage for 5 to 10 minutes or until it starts to soften. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Plating the Halibut

• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Ladle about 1/8 of a cup of sauce onto the bottom of each plate. Then top with about 1/2 cup of sautéed cabbage. Finish with the halibut and garnish with seasoned watercress.

 

and for a side...

 

Pilau Rice

Basmati rice cooked with coconut milk and finished with green onions, cilantro and crispy fried onions.

Active Time: 10 min

Total Time: 40 min

Serves: 4

Step 1: Preparing the Rice

• 1 small onion

• 2 tsp. vegetable oil

• 1 cup basmati rice

• 1 1/2 cups cold water

• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk

• 1/8 tsp. white pepper

• 3/4 tsp. Kosher salt (1/2 tsp. table salt)

• 1 bunch cilantro (approx. 1 cup)

• 1 cup green onion (approx. 1/2 cup)

•

Heat up the rice cooker then add the oil and diced onions and sauté until translucent. Add the rice to the onions and sauté for a few minutes until the rice is coated in the oil and is also slightly translucent. Add the cold water, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Place the lid on the rice cooker and make sure that the rice cooker is still on, and has not switched to the warm setting. Let cook for approximately twenty minutes or until it switches off indicating that the rice is done. Roughly chop the cilantro and green onions and fold into the rice along with the crispy fried onions. Now serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

In making the rice, if you don't like cilantro, I'd recommend flat leaf parsley. I also squeezed some fresh lemon over the rice and it really improved it.

This was a relatively simple meal to throw together. I served it to my wife and boys with a nice sauviginon blanc (no wine for the boys). The boys didn't dig the rice but loved the halibut. This was a light and fresh meal, and in my view, perfect for a romantic night as it doesn't weigh you down.

[detlef]

Sounds great. I love rice with coconut milk. Try adding some whole cardammon pods right before the rice and mix in about 1 tspn of tumeric in there. Makes it pretty tasty and a great color as well.

[untateve]

Sounds great. I love rice with coconut milk. Try adding some whole cardammon pods right before the rice and mix in about 1 tspn of tumeric in there. Makes it pretty tasty and a great color as well.

 

this is the reason that I like this board. I will try your suggestion.

 

Until tonight, I'd never tried rice with coconut milk. It really imparted a nice flavor.

[loaf]

that sounds fantastic!