Here's a meal that I put on my "recipe radar" as it sounded so fresh, light, and spring-like. Bonus part? It was easy - and we only had to purchase two items: fava beans and the halibut.
Before I get into how we made the main dish - I have to mention our appetizer. CHEESE. It's so fun to serve cheese and baguette on my marble cheese plate that I got for Christmas - and a Triple Cream cheese, well that has become one of our favorites. It's spreadable and just plain delicious. I'm not huge on sharp cheese so these soft ones are just A-OK for me.
This was a Seal Bay Triple Cream, described as: "King Island, Australia - Rich, creamy triple cream cheese made with fresh King Island milk and enriched with pure cream. White bloomy rind, rich golden center with slight nutty flavor. Pair with champagne or any sparkling wines."
Paired with bread that was still hot in Whole Foods when we got it - nice and crusty...hmmm that and a glass of wine, and maybe some olives or grapes - well that would have been just fine for me for the enjoyable evening. However, we had a delicious meal to follow.
Halibut on Mashed Fava Beans with Mint
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds fresh fava beans in pod, shelled
1 teaspoons plus 1/8 cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 pinch of dried crushed red pepper, divided
2 5-ounce 3/4-inch-thick halibut fillets (Derek's was a little bigger - mine was probably about 6 ounces...together our were 1 lb)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
All purpose flour (for dredging)
Cook fava beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes; drain. Transfer to large bowl of ice water. Cool beans; peel if using fresh beans. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Mix 1 teaspoon mint, 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 pinch of red pepper in small bowl. Arrange fish on large rimmed baking sheet. Rub mint mixture all over fish. Cover and chill. (NOTE: This didn't quite seem to be enough, I threw in a little more mint and lemon...)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add fava beans. Sprinkle with coarse salt, black pepper, and pinch of red pepper. Cook until heated through and tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 5 minutes. Using potato masher, mash beans to coarse puree, adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Season with salt and pepper. (NOTE: Derek used the immersion blender to blend the beans...hand mashing was a little too coarse, not puree enough).
Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Cook fish until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, into fava bean puree, stir in remaining 1/8 cup mint, 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, and add more EVOO if necessary.
Divide fava bean puree among plates. Top with fish and serve.
The meal tasted so fresh but not without depth - that's what I liked about it. For the fava bean puree, I was expecting a hummus like taste and texture. However, Derek and I both agreed that it was really akin to a pesto. It even had an almost cheesy taste, but there was no cheese in it! I could have used even more of the puree as it didn't make quite as much as I would have liked. However, since it was pretty rich, the amount that we had was probably just fine.
As for the fish, the flavor of the halibut really came through. It was simply accented by the lemon and mint - but not overpowered. I would have maybe wanted a touch more lemon, but it was quite nice. For $19.99/lb, I wanted to be able to taste the actual fish - and we did.
Oh and one of the most exciting parts of the meal - the WINE. We opened up a bottle that we had picked up during our last trip to wine country. A small production winery that sells only from the tasting room (I think) and that specializes in Rhone-stlye wines - Frick. We were "wowed" by the Viogner which had such a unique, bright taste. It was fantastic. Luckily we have another bottle - but this is one that I'd like to always keep on hand. At about $25/bottle - it's pretty nice :)
Before I get into how we made the main dish - I have to mention our appetizer. CHEESE. It's so fun to serve cheese and baguette on my marble cheese plate that I got for Christmas - and a Triple Cream cheese, well that has become one of our favorites. It's spreadable and just plain delicious. I'm not huge on sharp cheese so these soft ones are just A-OK for me.
This was a Seal Bay Triple Cream, described as: "King Island, Australia - Rich, creamy triple cream cheese made with fresh King Island milk and enriched with pure cream. White bloomy rind, rich golden center with slight nutty flavor. Pair with champagne or any sparkling wines."
Paired with bread that was still hot in Whole Foods when we got it - nice and crusty...hmmm that and a glass of wine, and maybe some olives or grapes - well that would have been just fine for me for the enjoyable evening. However, we had a delicious meal to follow.
Halibut on Mashed Fava Beans with Mint
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds fresh fava beans in pod, shelled
1 teaspoons plus 1/8 cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 pinch of dried crushed red pepper, divided
2 5-ounce 3/4-inch-thick halibut fillets (Derek's was a little bigger - mine was probably about 6 ounces...together our were 1 lb)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
All purpose flour (for dredging)
Cook fava beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes; drain. Transfer to large bowl of ice water. Cool beans; peel if using fresh beans. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Mix 1 teaspoon mint, 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 pinch of red pepper in small bowl. Arrange fish on large rimmed baking sheet. Rub mint mixture all over fish. Cover and chill. (NOTE: This didn't quite seem to be enough, I threw in a little more mint and lemon...)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add fava beans. Sprinkle with coarse salt, black pepper, and pinch of red pepper. Cook until heated through and tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 5 minutes. Using potato masher, mash beans to coarse puree, adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Season with salt and pepper. (NOTE: Derek used the immersion blender to blend the beans...hand mashing was a little too coarse, not puree enough).
Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Cook fish until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, into fava bean puree, stir in remaining 1/8 cup mint, 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, and add more EVOO if necessary.
Divide fava bean puree among plates. Top with fish and serve.
The meal tasted so fresh but not without depth - that's what I liked about it. For the fava bean puree, I was expecting a hummus like taste and texture. However, Derek and I both agreed that it was really akin to a pesto. It even had an almost cheesy taste, but there was no cheese in it! I could have used even more of the puree as it didn't make quite as much as I would have liked. However, since it was pretty rich, the amount that we had was probably just fine.
As for the fish, the flavor of the halibut really came through. It was simply accented by the lemon and mint - but not overpowered. I would have maybe wanted a touch more lemon, but it was quite nice. For $19.99/lb, I wanted to be able to taste the actual fish - and we did.
Oh and one of the most exciting parts of the meal - the WINE. We opened up a bottle that we had picked up during our last trip to wine country. A small production winery that sells only from the tasting room (I think) and that specializes in Rhone-stlye wines - Frick. We were "wowed" by the Viogner which had such a unique, bright taste. It was fantastic. Luckily we have another bottle - but this is one that I'd like to always keep on hand. At about $25/bottle - it's pretty nice :)
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