Seared Halibut With Sunchoke Puree and Sautéed Dandelion Recipe

Halibut season has arrived! Chef Tret Jordan of Homer St. Cafe and Bar serves up an inspired recipe for this tasty local fish

Halibut

• 4 fillets halibut, portion size of approximately 150 g each
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 whole lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 tsp. coarse salt
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• ¼ cup walnut, toasted halves
• 1 tbsp. capers

Sunchoke Purée

• 1 cup sunchoke, washed and cut into ½-inch slices
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp. butter
• Salt to taste

Dandelion

• 2 bunches dandelion, washed and chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Start by making the sunchoke purée, which can be done ahead of time and stored until needed.
2. Place the sliced sunchokes in a pot and cover with the milk. Simmer until the sunchokes are cooked and tender. Pour the sunchokes into a sieve, reserving the milk.
3. Place sunchokes into a food processor and blend. Add a little of the cooking milk as needed, just enough to blend to a smooth puree. Finish by adding the butter and season with salt. 
4. The dandelion is quick to sauté and will only take a minute to cook. Heat a sauté pan on the stove on high heat. Add the olive oil and chopped dandelion; keep the dandelion moving in the pan. Add the garlic and sauté quickly. Season with salt and pepper.     
5. To cook the halibut, heat a suitable-sized pan (large enough to accommodate the four fillets) on the stove, med-high heat. Make sure the fish is dry by patting it with paper towel.
6. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. Season the halibut with salt and gently lay the fish into the pan. Cook the fish on the one side for approximately 6 to 7 minutes. You want to make sure the fish has a nice golden crust before flipping the fillets. Once you’ve flipped it, turn the heat down to medium-low.
7. Add the butter, walnuts and capers to the pan and allow the butter to slowly foam and brown. As soon as the butter is golden brown, not burnt, squeeze a couple of the fresh lemon wedges over the fish. This will help stop the butter from browning any further.
8. To serve, place a spoonful of the puree on to the plates. Divide the sautéed dandelion equally between servings. Carefully set the halibut onto the dandelion and spoon the walnuts, capers and butter over the fish. Bon appetit!

Serves 4