Pan Roasted Halibut, French cut Romano Beans with Lardons, Salsa Verde

Pan Roasted Halibut, French cut Romano Beans with Lardons, Salsa Verde

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

  • 1lb of really thick halibut fillet, cut into two pieces
  • 2 good handfuls of fresh romano or scarlet runner beans
  • 2 pieces of fatty bacon, cut into small cubes (lardons)
  • 1 small handful of fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 1 small handful of fresh basil
  • 10 mint leaves
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 dill pickle
  • 1 small handful of capers
  • really good olive oil
  • splash of red wine vinegar

Method:

Start by making the salsa verdi.

  • Finely chop, by hand, the parsley basil and mint. Put in a medium sized bowl.
  • Finely chop the pickle and capers, and add to the bowl.
  • Do the same for the anchovy fillets.
  • Mash the garlic clove, and add.
  • Add a splash of red wine vinegar, and now a good few glugs of the really good olive oil.
  • Mix. If it is looking too dry, add more olive oil. Keep adding until everything looks moist, and there is a little oil in the bottom of the bowl. (chop this by hand, so that you see some great texture. If you are feeling lazy, the food processor is an option, but it will come out looking like mush.. with the texture of mush). Salsa verde is a sauce best left to a day when you have patience!

Let the verde stand at room temperature whilst you prepare everything else.

  • French cut the beans.(top and tail the bean, and cut it into thin sections, lengthwise).
  • Preheat oven to 400F. Get a large pot of boiling water on the go for the beans.
  • Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a medium sized frying pan (big enough for both pieces of halibut).
  • When the oil is hot, put the fish in, flesh side down.
  • Regulate the heat carefully. We don’t want this to burn – a golden yellow color is perfect.
  • Cook the fish like this for about 4 minutes – until the flesh is nicely golden.
  • Put the beans into the boiling water, and boil for 6 minutes. Do not overdo, overcooked beans are quite a let down. Strain when done.
  • Heat up a thick pan – preferably a well seasoned cast iron one. When hot, fry the bacon in this for about 4 minutes, until just cooked through.
  • Flip the fish over, and put it in the oven, for about 6 more minutes – but this really depends on the thickness of your halibut. This one was really pretty thick for me (hats off to Mutual Fish for that!). The fish is done when it is opaque throughout, and flakes easily with a fork.
  • In a large bowl toss the beans and the bacon together.

To plate – put a pile of salsa verde in the center of a plate. Push it into a circle using the back of a spoon. Top this with a generous helping of beans. Very carefully place the halibut fillet on top.

Serve immediately.

many thanks to  Matt Wright

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Ingredients:

  • 8 egg yolks
  • 600mL thickened cream
  • 100mL milk
  • 100g sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • castor sugar, extra

Method:

  • The cooking time here is for the ingredients at room temperature.
  • You’ll need to increase the cooking time if they are cold from the
  • fridge.
  • Preheat the oven to 100C. Whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale then whisk in cream and scraped vanilla seeds. Pass through a sieve and then divide between 8 silicone muffin moulds or ramekins.
  • Bake brulees for 1hr 15mins or until still wobbly in the middle but slightly thickened. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Cover and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours.
  • Half an hour before you’re ready to serve, remove brulee from moulds and place each on a serving plate. Sit in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • To serve sprinkle the top of each brulee with an even layer of castor sugar. Brown with a blowtorch until sugar is melted and browned in places. Allow to cool slightly before topping with more sugar and continuing to brulee until the desired colour is achieved. Serve immediately.

many thanks to  StoneSoup

Pasta YiaYia

Pasta YiaYia

Ingredients:

  • ¾ lb. bucatini
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 head garlic, each clove sliced very thinly crosswise (slices will be petal-shaped)
  • 4-6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

  • Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.
  • While pasta is cooking, heat butter over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Just as the butter turns to turn golden-brown, add the garlic slices.
  • Continue to cook the garlic and the butter until the butter is browned and the garlic turns dark golden-brown and crispy. Remove from heat. Do not overcook the garlic or it will taste bitter.
  • With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic slices and set aside.
  • Drain the pasta and add to the butter.
  • Add the cinnamon to the noodles. Stir until noodles are coated with butter and cinnamon.
  • Plate the pasta on individual plates.
  • Divide the feta and the garlic slices evenly between the plates.
  • Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

many thanks to Erielle from Fancy Toast

What’s in season – July

Another peak month, with strawberries, loganberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, tayberries, summer cabbage, spring cabbage, new potatoes, courgettes, broad beans, fennel, the first outdoor french beans, tomatoes, watercress, new cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, cucumber, broccoli.

Sources: The Soil Association, The Guardian, John Davenport, Bob Kennard, Farm, and the National Farmers’ Union.