When you receive a perfect piece of first-of-the-season Alaskan halibut, you know you must build a very special dinner around it. It may not be specifically a special occasion, but a piece of fish like that makes it one!
I made a cup of wild rice... with leeks from the test kitchen.
I steamed some local cauliflower.
I took more of the chopped leeks and began "melting" them in butter. When they were soft, I added white wine and chicken stock... reduced that until almost dry... added heavy cream and tarragon... tasted for salt and pepper (it should have been white pepper, but I don't love that flavor)...
... et voilà... a perfect old-fashioned French-style sauce, filled with the lovely "hint of licorice" flavor of fresh tarragon and the unctuous mouth feel of cream and melted leeks.
While the sauce was simmering gently, I heated EVOO in a non-stick skillet, salted and peppered both sides of the fish (now cut into two equal-sized pieces), and sautéed the fish for about three minutes a side until gorgeous and brown.
Simply plated, with more tarragon scattered around. A glass of cool, crisp white wine.
This was like a major holiday meal... on a random Sunday.
Halibut is no longer an everyday fish, but when you come into possession of a perfect fillet, it must be celebrated! Perfectly cooked snow white flesh... napped with a creamy tarragon-y sauce... the deep forest-like flavor of wild rice... the delicious but blank-canvas taste of cauliflower...
I need to stop or I'll have to find a way to have the entire dinner again right now!