Seared Halibut with White Bean Ragout

Seared halibut with white bean ragout. This dish seems much more complicated than it is; that's part of the beauty of it. It's actually a straightforward dish that tastes and looks amazing. If you can't find halibut or don't like it, you can substitute it with salmon, haddock, cod, or just about any other kind of fish you'd like. Alright, let's get to it.

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Roasted Carrots

I really like serving roasted carrots with this dish becasue they add a pop of orange and a bit of sweetness. You can use roasted beets instead if you'd like. Peel two carrots and cut the ends off. Take one carrot and cut it on a 45° angle, about an inch thick. Roll the carrot forward a quarter turn so the tip of the carrot is on top. Then, make another 45° angle cut. This gives the carrots an oblong shape that looks professional and really cool. You can cut the carrots as you normally would, but this technique adds that little extra that helps make a dish seem fancy. Toss the carrots with a tablespoon of olive oil, a few sprigs of thyme, and some salt and pepper, then roast at 400°f for 35 minutes.

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White Bean Ragout

While the carrots are cooking, make the white bean ragout. Start by opening a 400ml can of white beans, then drain and rinse them. Heat a 2qt pot over medium heat, add in a tablespoon of olive oil, along with ½ cup of diced onion. Cook the onion for 3 minutes, then add in 1 tablespoon of garlic and cook for another minute. Pour a ½ cup of white wine into the pot and cook until it has almost all evaporated. Put the beans in the pot along with a few sprigs of thyme, season with salt and pepper, then add just enough water to come up to the top of the beans. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Using a potato masher, mash about half the beans. Add two cups or two big handfuls of baby spinach to the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and stir until the spinach is cooked into the beans. Keep cooking until the mixture is thick enough to stand up on a spoon. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the beans, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

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Sauce Verte (green sauce)

While the beans are cooking, put 1 cup of parsley, ¼ cup sage leaves, ¼ of almonds, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, the juice of half a lemon, and ½ cup of oil into the bowl of your blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

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Halibut

Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add in a teaspoon of olive oil. Season your halibut with salt and pepper, then place it in the pan. Cook the fish for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown, then flip and cook it for 1 more minute. Put the halibut in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your fish's thickness. When cooked, the halibut, or whatever fish you are using should be firm in the middle but not springy. I only cooked one piece of fish because my wife wasn't home when I made this, but you will want to cook two portions if serving two people.

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Plating the halibut

To plate the halibut, get two round plates. Imagine the plates are divided into four. There is a line through the middle vertically and a line through the middle horizontally. Spoon half your beans onto each plate in one of the imaginary quarters. Divide your carrots among the plates and place them around the beans. Put your fish on top of the beans and carrots and top with a spoonful or two of the sauce.

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The Wrap Up

This a beautiful dish that most people would be happy to buy in any restaurant. I know there are multiple components and steps, but when you look at this just as those steps, there is nothing hard about it. I know that to a lot of you, this dish is going to seem intimidating, but don't let that hold you back. It's worth the effort, especially on Valentine's Day when you are making it for someone you love. Also, the carrots, sauce and beans, may all be made a day ahead. You'll have to reheat the carrots in the oven for ten minutes and the beans on the stove., but that's it. And again, you can use any fish you'd like. Remember to come back Friday for your dessert. Enjoy!

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