Equipment
Ingredients
Halibut
- 300 g halibut fillets, pin bones removed
- 15 ml olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Prawn Butter Sauce
- 250 g whole raw prawns, heads and shells only
- 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic, smashed
- 50 ml dry white wine
- 30 ml heavy cream
Broccoli
- 300 g broccoli, cut into florets
Herb Breadcrumbs
- 40 g panko breadcrumbs
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 975 kcal
- Protein
- 65 g
- Carbohydrates
- 34 g
- Fat
- 66 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 971 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 35 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 22 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 450 mg
- Potassium
- 1656 mg
- Calcium
- 234 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 129 mg
- Phosphorus
- 781 mg
- Zinc
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 603 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 146 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 6.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 245 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.25 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.36 mg
- Niacin
- 9.8 mg
- Folate
- 138 mcg
- Water
- 408 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Remove the heads and shells from the raw prawns. Reserve the shells and heads for the sauce, and store the meat in the refrigerator for another recipe. Prepare all other vegetables and herbs as indicated.
Melt 15g of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until deeply golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the chopped parsley, dill, and lemon zest. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 15g of the cubed butter. Add the reserved prawn heads, shells, chopped shallot, and smashed garlic. Saute, crushing the heads slightly with a wooden spoon to release their juices, until the shells turn bright orange-red.
Pour the white wine into the saucepan with the prawn shells. Simmer until the wine has almost entirely evaporated. Add the heavy cream and the remaining 85g of cubed butter. Turn the heat to low and simmer very gently to infuse the flavors.
Remove the prawn butter from the heat and carefully pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl. Press down hard on the shells to extract all the flavorful liquid, then discard the solids. Cover the bowl to keep the sauce warm.
Bring a medium saucepan of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain immediately and keep warm.
Wipe out the large skillet used for the breadcrumbs and place it over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Season the halibut fillets generously with salt and black pepper. Place the fillets in the skillet and sear undisturbed until a golden crust forms on the bottom, then flip and cook the other side until the internal temperature reaches 63°C/145°F.
Divide the warm blanched broccoli between two plates. Place a halibut fillet next to or slightly overlapping the broccoli. Spoon the warm prawn butter generously over the fish, and top immediately with a handful of the crispy herb breadcrumbs.
Chef's Notes
- Reserving prawn shells and heads in the freezer is an excellent culinary habit. They contain immense flavor and can be quickly transformed into rich bisques, oils, or flavored butters.
- When sauteing the prawn heads, crushing them is essential. The most profound crustacean flavors reside in the head juices, which need to be coaxed out into the fat.
- Ensure the broccoli is shocked in ice water if you are not serving it immediately after blanching. This arrests the cooking process and locks in the vibrant green color.
- The herb breadcrumbs, classically known as pangrattato, add an essential crunch that cuts through the richness of the butter sauce. Make extra, as it keeps well in an airtight container for sprinkling over pastas or salads.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Fish is best eaten immediately. Leftover prawn butter can be refrigerated and gently reheated.
Freezer: 1 month — Prawn butter can be frozen. Do not freeze cooked halibut or breadcrumbs.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently over very low heat to prevent breaking. Halibut can be warmed in a 150C oven until just heated through.
Troubleshooting
Halibut sticks to the skillet and tears when flipped
Cause: Pan was not adequately preheated or the fish was moved before a proper crust formed
Fix: Carefully slide a thin metal spatula underneath, applying pressure downwards to the pan rather than scraping the fish
Prevention: Preheat the skillet thoroughly before adding oil, and let the fish sear undisturbed until it releases naturally
Prawn butter sauce separates and looks greasy
Cause: The emulsion broke due to excessive heat or insufficient agitation
Fix: Whisk in a splash of warm water or heavy cream vigorously off the heat to attempt to re-emulsify
Prevention: Simmer gently and whisk when melting the butter into the liquids; never allow the sauce to boil vigorously
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from classic French culinary techniques, particularly the utilization of a crustacean butter to elevate mild white fish. The addition of crispy herb breadcrumbs nods to Italian pangrattato, bringing a textural modernity to a rich, traditional seafood presentation. The quick execution reflects contemporary restaurant practices where high-impact flavor is achieved through smart preparation and quick-cooking proteins.
