Halibut with Celeriac & Potato Rosti

Although halibut is a fish that can take a fair bit of flavour, and I adore punchy flavours, this is one fish that I don't like to mess around with too much. This is because it has one of the best flavours of all of the flatfish - also its the largest. It tastes creamy and buttery and just perfect simply pan fried with a lovely sauce. Here I have made a white wine & caper cream sauce which is delicious.

I have also served this with a potato and celeriac rosti, which some people assume is difficult to make, but its so simple. Ideally if you use a chefs ring too it not only looks lovely, but has some bite which you don't get with the flatter, smaller, free style ones. A rather posh looking and tasting meal that you can make any night of the week!

For the rosti:

1/2 celeriac, peeled
1 large potato, peeled
1/2 onion, peeled
salt & pepper
1 tbsp. oil
knob of butter

Method:

Grate the celeriac, onion and potato into the middle of a clean tea towel. Season with salt & pepper and bring up the sides of the tea towel so that the vegetables are in a ball. Twist and squeeze the water out. Grease the chefs rings with a little butter and place in a lightly oiled non stick frying pan.

Pack the vegetables neatly into the rings (to the top of the ring) and flatten off. Fry on a low/medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, before carefully turning over with a fish slice. Add a little more oil.. Cook the other side for 5 minutes and then add a little knob of butter. After 8 minutes it should be cooked through. Check by pushing a sharp knife through the middle - you will feel that its cooked.

For the sauce:

Add 1 cup white wine to a small pan and put on a medium/high heat. Cook until reduced by half. Make up 1 cup vegetable stock from a cube and add to the wine. Again cook until reduced, this time by about 3/4 so you have about 1/2 cup of concentrate. Add 1 tbsp. chopped capers, salt & pepper and 100ml double cream. Heat through and its ready.

For the halibut:

Simply season lightly with a little salt & pepper and fry in a smear of olive oil for about 4 minutes each side (depending on the thickness - mine were thick).

Serve with fish with the rosti and some steamed green beans and then spoon some sauce over the fish. Serve and enjoy!

Note To make life easy: I premade the sauce ready to be heated up before serving