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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