Jane Grigson's Fish Book - Jane Grigson [87]
Quickly stir the yoghurt into the pan. It will acquire a pale yellow colour from the remains of the sauce. Spoon it down the centre of the fish, and scatter it with the chopped herbs and dust lightly with cayenne.
Serve with rice or potatoes, and strips of grilled, skinned sweet peppers – yellow and red ones make a happy contrast both of flavour and colour. Or serve a cucumber raita (p. 183), or plain batons of cucumber, a wonderfully refreshing garnish.
HALIBUT STEAMED IN ITS OWN JUICE
People who earn a living through food in the States, and take it seriously, are much indebted to Sheryl Julian, who – with Lora Brody – founded the Boston Women’s Culinary Guild in 1978. Since then, food professionals in other cities have organized similar groups, not necessarily confined to women, for mutual assistance. As a visiting foreigner, I was bewildered by the usual problem of collecting information in a short time, and the Boston Guild came to my rescue with a speedy efficacy that amazed me. And to cap it all, Sheryl Julian gave me this excellent idea for cooking halibut: it can be used for other firm fish, too.
Serves 4
¾ –1 kg (1½–2 lb) skinned halibut fillet in 1 piece
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
salt, pepper
1 small handful of dill sprigs, finely chopped
1 small handful of parsley sprigs, finely chopped (flat-leaf parsley for preference)
½ shallot, very finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, skinned, seeded, coarsely chopped
4 slices of lemon, 4 sprigs of dill for garnish
Holding the small end of the fillet towards you, skinned side down, cut eight thick ‘scallops’ at an angle of 45°, using a long thin sharp knife.
Grease a 35–38-cm (14–15-inch) sauté pan with half the butter. Set the scallops in the pan and sprinkle the remaining ingredients over them evenly in the order given, apart from the garnish.
Cut a round of baking parchment or greaseproof paper to fit closely inside the pan and spread it with the remaining butter. Put it into the pan, buttered side down, on to the fish. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Set the pan over a medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, until the fish turns opaque in colour and firm to the touch. It should flake easily.
Remove the paper. Carefully transfer two pieces of fish to each of four hot plates, arranging them in a V. Twist four slices of lemon and set one in the middle of each V with a sprig of dill. Serve with boiled new potatoes, turned in a little butter, parsley and dill.
JONGHE MARC’S HALIBUT (Flétan de Jonghe Marc)
A reader living in America sent me this recipe many years ago. I think it came from the March 1972 issue of Gourmet magazine and I have made it many times, sometimes with cod or hake or brill. Do not be put off by the quantity of garlic, or by the use of dry vermouth rather than dry white wine. These ingredients and the style of cooking give a most appetizing liveliness that helps any fish with a tendency to be a little solid or boring. Halibut steaks or other similar steaks can be used rather than fillets. The point is to aim for a thickness of 2½ cm (1 inch). With the looser flaked fish, cod for instance, it is sensible to leave the steaks whole, or just to remove the two thick pieces from either side of the main bone; if you attempt to cut cubes, the fish will fall apart when cooked and look messy.
Serves 6
generous 1 kg (2½ lb) halibut fillet
salt, pepper
250 g (8 oz) fresh white or light wholemeal breadcrumbs
250 ml (8 fl oz) melted butter
8 tablespoons dry white vermouth
4 cloves garlic, crushed, skinned, finely chopped
Cut the fish into 2½-cm (i-inch) cubes and season them. Choose a baking dish into which they will be able to fit closely together in a single layer. Grease it with a butter paper.
Switch on the oven to gas 5, 190°C (375°F).
Put the crumbs into a bowl and pour on half the butter, and the vermouth into which