In Just Fishin
Halibut and Morels

Fresh ingredients for Halibut with a creamy morel sauce.

Two of my favorite things about late spring in the Pacific Northwest: fresh caught halibut and locally foraged morel mushrooms. While, I’m lucky to have caught a nice sized halibut this year, and managed to find some great morels, you can easily substitute halibut for ling cod or any flaky white fish and dried morels when fresh are not available. The thyme and Madeira wine add an earthy nuttiness to this dish that really compliment the dish.

Ingredients

2 fillets of halibut (or ling cod) about 1/2 lb each
1/4 cup olive oil
10 fingerling or small potatoes boiled until tender and sliced in half
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 cup morels cut in half (dried morels soaked in liquid or other fresh mushrooms could be substituted)
½ cup Madeira wine (substitute dry white wine)
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
6 small baby bok choy heads quartered
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preparation

Rinse fish fillets and dry with a towel. Season each side with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a pan on medium high heat. Add the halibut and cook three to four minutes each side. Be careful not to overcook fish. Remove fish from pan and set aside. Add sliced shallots to the pan, then morels, thyme and butter. Saute for four minutes

until soft.  Add wine to pan to deglaze any bits stuck to the bottom for another three minutes; allowing alcohol to evaporate. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add bok choy and sliced potatoes and cook for three minutes. Add the cream and cook for four minutes until cream starts to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate fish and, using tongs, divide the potatoes and bok choy between two plates. Spoon over morel cream sauce. The recipe serves two.

(Featured in Kayak Angler Magazine/ Rapid Media)