Pan roasted wild scottish halibut

Ingredients for 2

• 2 x 200g steaks of wild halibut
• 200g of blanched pearl barley (cooked in salted water for 10 minutes until almost done)
• ½ ltr fish stock or cube (Fresh is best!)
• ½ glass nice white dry wine
• 1 leek washed and diced
• 1 clove of garlic peeled and diced
• 1 large shallot peeled and chopped
• Unsalted butter and vegetable oil for cooking
• 50g grated mature Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese
• Chopped flat leaf parsley
• 2 chopped spring onions
• 50ml double cream
• Maldon or Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Fresh green salad and roasted (with thyme & olive oil) cherry tomatoes

Method

• Put a non-stick thick bottom frying pan on the stove to heat up.
• In another saucepan, start the risotto, put in a little butter and oil and sauté the leeks, shallot and garlic for 2 minutes then add the cooked pearl barley and 4 Tbsp of stock and ½ of the wine.
• While this is cooking, season the fish on both sides with Maldon or Kosher salt and put a splash of oil in the hot pan, place the fish immediately into the hot pan.
• Caramelize the fish on one side then turn it over allowing it to brown on the other side, then add a little butter to finish. Allow the fish to rest for a further two minutes. Don’t be tempted to overcook the fish.
• To finish the risotto, add the double cream, seasoning, parsley, spring onions, stirring all the time, then finally the cheese. If a little more stock or wine is needed for consistency and balance, do so and check seasoning before serving.
• Serve in a pasta bowl, risotto at the bottom, fish on top, garnish with some nice green salad and roasted cherry tomatoes
• Serve with a Menetou Salon ‘Clos des Blanchais’ Henry Pelle 2007. Enjoy.