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| Photo: Anchorage Glacier Brewhouse |
I first fixed this dish while still Executive Chef at The Grill Room of the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. I created it one night for my father, who was in town visiting and dined at the Chef's Table. My father liked the dish so much that I put it on the menu. It soon became second only to lobster in popularity, thereby securing its place on the menu at DC Coast, where it has been a top seller since the restaurant opened in 1998.
—Jeff Tunks
Cook's Strategy: The Scallion Oil and the Mango Purée may be prepared several hours in advance.
Ingredients:
2 pounds Pacific halibut fillets, thickly cut
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1/4 loaf brioche
Salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup light olive oil
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Mango Purée (recipe below)
Scallion Oil (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the macadamia nuts in a pie pan and toast until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Cool and reserve. Pulse the brioche in a food processor until crumbs form. Pulse in the toasted nuts until a crumbly mixture forms. Reserve. Leave the oven on.
Cut the halibut into 3-ounce pieces for appetizer portions or 8-ounce pieces for entrées and season with salt. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs and 2-1/2 tablespoons water to make an egg wash. Dredge the fish in egg wash, then coat completely in the nut-crumb mixture to make a nice crust. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the fish until golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the heat and place fish on a baking sheet; set aside.
Spread the black sesame seeds in a pie plate and toast in the oven for approximately 5 minutes. Reserve.
To serve, place the baking sheet with halibut in the hot oven and bake for about 4 minutes. Ladle a generous amount of warm Mango Purée onto each plate, and place a piece of halibut on the purée. Garnish with a ribbon of Scallion Oil and sprinkle the sesame seeds around the plate. Serve immediately.
Mango Purée
1 mango
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup cream
Juice of 1 lime
Salt
Peel the mango and remove all flesh. Place the mango chunks in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the wine and sugar. Cook to reduce the volume by three-fourths, then add the cream. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then purée in a food processor. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Add the lime juice and salt to taste. Cover and set aside. Gently warm the sauce before serving.
Scallion Oil
1 bunch scallions, green parts only
1/2 cup olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of salt
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Quickly blanch the scallion greens, then immediately plunge them into cold water. Remove and dry scallions. Place them in a blender with the olive oil, sugar, and salt; purée until smooth. Place the scallion oil in a squeeze bottle and reserve. The oil may be prepared several hours ahead of serving time.
From chef Rick Bayless, EDF:
[ed. note. Thanks, Barbara]
