Friday, November 13, 2009

Pan-Roasted Halibut in Dashi Broth with Bok Choy and Baby Shitake Mushrooms!



I love to cook fish of all kinds, and I'm always looking for a fresh way to prepare it at home!  So for this recipe, I was inspired by Japanese cuisine and the halibut and baby shitake mushrooms I procured at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

I know the concept of making dashi broth may sound intimidating, but I promise you that it's actually really simple and works well with all seafood dishes!  It's also the perfect way to prepare fish for the fall. The broth just warms you up from the inside out. The other components of this dish were all prepared simply - I blanched the bok choy and sauteed the mushrooms - each preparation only take a few minutes. 

When it finally came time to sit down with Kuzak in my "bistro" and eat, we both loved this comforting dish.  It was refreshing, thanks to the ginger, and hearty at the same time, with both sweet and savory flavors, and even had some earthy umami flavor thanks to the wonderful baby mushrooms. I loved sipping the dashi broth from a spoon after I'd finished the fish, slurping it down to the last drop.  It was the perfect way to end a great meal!

Pan-Roasted Halibut in Dashi Broth with Bok Choy and Baby Shitake Mushrooms
Serves 2 people 

2 4 oz. halibut fillets
1 cup baby shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
3 cups bok choy, blanched
1 tbsp sesame oil
salt & pepper

dashi broth:
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp red miso paste
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp sugar

Directions:

To make the dashi broth, add the stock, tamari, ginger, mirin, miso and sugar to a pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer the stock for 20 minutes and season to taste with salt & pepper.  Keep warm.

To make the mushrooms, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and gently cook for a few minutes until tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To cook the fish, season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper.  Then, heat the grapeseed oil in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the fish, cooking for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through.

To plate, place the bok choy in the bottom of a wide-bottomed bowl.  Place a piece of fish on the bok choy and top with the mushrooms.  Ladle the broth over the fish, drizzle with the sesame oil and top with some fresh cracked pepper.

Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients:

halibut from J&P West Coast Seafood (Hollywood Farmers Market)

baby shitake mushrooms and ginger from Hollywood Farmers Market

organic bok choy, sesame oil, organic red miso paste, mirin, organic sugar & organic vegetable stock from Whole Foods

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