Olive Oil Poached Halibut w Broken Beurre Blanc & Caviar

This olive oil poached halibut starts cold in the pan and comes up to temperature slowly, finishing in a 400°F oven for about 4 minutes a side. It's served over braised beans and asparagus, with a broken beurre blanc laced with dill oil and caviar.

Why You'll Love Olive Oil Poached Halibut w Broken Beurre Blanc & Caviar

The fish starts in a cold pan of olive oil and comes up to heat slowly, which keeps it custardy instead of tough. The beurre blanc reduces wine, shallot, and crème fraîche before the butter gets whisked in off the heat, then cold dill oil gets stirred in right before serving to break the sauce.

Tips and Tricks

• Let your fish come to room temp before poaching. It cooks more evenly.
• Don't rush the beurre blanc. Whisk gradually and remove from heat at the right moment.
• Break the sauce right before serving for best texture and color separation.

Variations

• Cod, branzino, or sea bass instead of halibut
• Basil or chive oil instead of dill
• Spring peas or spinach instead of asparagus

Substitutions

• Sour cream in place of crème fraîche
• Trout roe instead of caviar
• Olive oil can be swapped with grapeseed for a neutral poach

Best served with

• Champagne or bright white wine
• Toasted sourdough
• Simple greens or citrusy salad
• Roasted fingerling potatoes

How to Store Leftovers

• Store poached halibut up to 2 days, reheating gently. Broken beurre blanc should be served fresh, but the base reduction can be made ahead and held warm. Do not refrigerate once emulsified with dill oil.

Common Questions

Olive Oil Poached Halibut w Broken Beurre Blanc & Caviar

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This olive oil poached halibut is tender, served over beans and asparagus with a broken beurre blanc laced with dill oil and caviar. It's a modern classic with major elegance.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French, Modern American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 6 oz halibut filet
• 2 oz olive oil
• ½ cup braised beans or white beans of choice
• 1 bunch asparagus small, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
• 1 tablespoon dill oil cold
• Lemon to taste
• Salt to taste

For the beurre blanc:

• 2 tablespoon white wine
• 1 tablespoon shallot minced
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup crème fraîche
• 1 stick 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice to taste
• Caviar to garnish

Equipment

• Small saucepan
• Whisk
• Oven-safe skillet
• Non-stick or copper sauté pan

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Season the halibut with salt 2 to 3 hours ahead, uncovered on a rack in the fridge, or right before it goes into the oil. One hour is the floor.
3. In a saucepan, combine shallot, bay leaf, and white wine. Reduce until nearly dry. Add crème fraîche and reduce by half (about 3-4 minutes). Taste it as you go. If you feel astringency at the back of your throat, the alcohol hasn't cooked off yet. Raw wine throws a sharp scent that pushes your face back. Step away a few seconds, then come in from the side. You'll know it's ready when that scent is gone and you smell fruit and shallot instead.
4. Whisk in half the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Remove from heat. Off the heat, whisk in remaining butter until fully incorporated. Season with lemon and salt. Keep warm.
5. In a cold oven-safe pan, add olive oil and fish. Turn heat to medium and slowly bring the oil up. Once it begins to pop, transfer pan to oven for 4 minutes.
6. Flip fish and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until just cooked through.
7. In a bowl, mix hot braised beans, asparagus, lemon juice, and salt. Plate in center of the dish. Top with halibut.
8. Stir cold dill oil into warm beurre blanc just before serving to "break" the sauce. Spoon generously over halibut and garnish with caviar. Serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: Poached fish is best eaten the moment it comes out of the oil, it turns dry and tough if reheated. The beurre blanc won't hold either, it's a last-minute sauce that can break on reheating. If you have leftover halibut, store it covered in the fridge up to a day and enjoy cold over the beans rather than trying to warm it back up.

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