Braised Halibut With Watercress Purée, Coddled Quails' Eggs And Grilled Baby Leeks
This elegant recipe combines tender halibut with vibrant watercress purée, griddled baby leeks, and coddled quail eggs for a sophisticated and flavorful dish. Each element is carefully prepared and beautifully presented, making it a stunning option for a special dinner or entertaining guests. The combination of textures and flavors creates a memorable dining experience that is sure to impress.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 110g/4oz unsalted butter
- 400g/14oz watercress
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
- salt
- 8 baby leeks
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 x 125g/4½oz halibut
- salt
- 50g/2oz unsalted butter
- 2 pieces butter
- 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock
- 110g/4oz unsalted butter
- salt
- 1 lemon
- 12 quails
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 cobnuts
- , for drizzling olive oil
Instructions
- For the watercress purée, heat the butter in a pan over a moderate heat. Add the watercress stalks and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened, then add the chicken stock and the majority of the watercress leaves (reserving a small handful of attractive leaves for garnishing). Cook for one minute, until the watercress leaves have just wilted.
- Allow the watercress mixture to cool, then transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Pass the purée through a fine sieve and keep warm.
- For the leeks, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then add the leeks and cook for one minute. Drain and refresh in iced water.
- Dry the leeks thoroughly, then place onto a hot griddle pan. Griddle the leeks for 1-2 minutes on each side, until brown griddle lines cover the leeks. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- For the halibut, heat a non-stick frying pan until moderately hot, then add the vegetable oil.
- Season the halibut steaks on both sides with salt, then place into the pan and fry until lightly golden-brown, then gently turn over.
- Add the butter, then cover the fish with the butter paper and remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot chicken stock over the top of the butter paper and allow to rest for two minutes.
- Place the pan back over a moderate heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest.
- For the coddled eggs, place the butter into a separate pan over a high heat and cook until it starts to turn brown. Add a good pinch of table salt and the lemon juice.
- Gently break the tops off the quails' eggs.
- Heat a pan of water until simmering, then place small egg cobbling moulds, or ramekins, into the simmering water. Fill each with ½ tsp of the browned butter.
- Add a quail's egg into each of the moulds and allow the water to simmer gently until the eggs have just set. Remove the moulds from the water and, using a teaspoon, gently scoop out the eggs onto kitchen paper. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- To serve, spoon the watercress purée onto the centre of each plate. Top with a piece of halibut, and three leeks. Place a coddled egg on top of each and scatter the watercress leaves around. Place two cobbled eggs either side of the halibut steaks.
- Sprinkle the chopped cobnuts over and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Cook Time
30M
Prep Time
PT30M
Yield
Serves 4
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