Slow Roasted Halibut with Potato-Mushroom Hash

The technique for keeping a piece of halibut succulent and juicy after cooking that Barton Seaver, owner-chef of Hook, reveals in this recipe can be applied to any firm-fleshed white fish. The trick is in that water-filled pan of water.

Serves four.

4 5-ounce pieces of Pacific halibut
2 cups baby Chioggia beets, quartered (available from Whole Foods and other
large supermarkets)
1 orange, sliced
3 stalks thyme plus the leaves from two more sprigs, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 cups Golden Nugget or other fingerling potatoes, sliced in half (available from
Whole Foods)
1 cup wild mushrooms, torn
1 tablespoon chopped mint
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Turn oven to 400 degrees and place a pan of water inside. Generously season
the halibut and place on the oven rack above the pan of water. Cook until done
- approximately 25 minutes.

Cook quartered beets in heavily salted water with stalks of thyme and orange
slices. Once just tender, remove from water and toss with 2 tablespoons olive
oil and juice of one lemon. Remove thyme and orange slices.

Blanch potato halves by boiling in heavily salted water and quickly removing to
place in ice water. Dry and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large
pan and add sliced onions and lemons. Let caramelize slightly, but do not shake
the pan. When lemons begin to brown, add mushrooms and toss once to incorporate.
Add chopped thyme leaves, potatoes and generously salt. Toss to mix
and to heat potatoes through. Remove from flame and toss in chopped mint.

Equally divide hash among four plates, place one piece halibut on top and drizzle
the beet mixture over top.

This recipe first appeared in the NorthWest Current.

Serves four.

4 5-ounce pieces of Pacific halibut
2 cups baby Chioggia beets, quartered (available from Whole Foods and other
large supermarkets)
1 orange, sliced
3 stalks thyme plus the leaves from two more sprigs, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 cups Golden Nugget or other fingerling potatoes, sliced in half (available from
Whole Foods)
1 cup wild mushrooms, torn
1 tablespoon chopped mint
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Turn oven to 400 degrees and place a pan of water inside. Generously season
the halibut and place on the oven rack above the pan of water. Cook until done
— approximately 25 minutes.

Cook quartered beets in heavily salted water with stalks of thyme and orange
slices. Once just tender, remove from water and toss with 2 tablespoons olive
oil and juice of one lemon. Remove thyme and orange slices.

Blanch potato halves by boiling in heavily salted water and quickly removing to
place in ice water. Dry and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large
pan and add sliced onions and lemons. Let caramelize slightly, but do not shake
the pan. When lemons begin to brown, add mushrooms and toss once to incorporate.
Add chopped thyme leaves, potatoes and generously salt. Toss to mix
and to heat potatoes through. Remove from flame and toss in chopped mint.

Equally divide hash among four plates, place one piece halibut on top and drizzle
the beet mixture over top.

This recipe first appeared in the NorthWest Current. Photo Bill Petros/The Current.

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