Here is another recipe that I’ll be serving in small plate form for our upcoming multi-course dinner.  I’ve been tinkering with this recipe for a while now and its gone through several different versions.  Here is the final version.  It involves several parts but each is very simple and delicate, with clean flavors.

Ingredients

16 oz. – fresh halibut fillet

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. – clarified butter, separated

2 oz. – white truffle oil or butter

2 – eggs

1 cup – coconut milk, separated

1 1/2 tsp. – fish sauce, separated

2 cloves – minced garlic, separated

4 Tbsp. – flour

1/4 tsp. – red curry paste

6 oz. – fresh fiddleheads

whole milk

salt/white pepper

Poached Halibut

Add 1 cup clarified butter plus truffle oil/butter to a small deep sauce pan.  Heat to 145 degrees and hold at that heat (very low heat).  Slice the halibut into 1 inch wide strips and lightly salt.  Place the halibut into the sauce pan and make sure that it is covered by the butter.  If its isn’t covered add more butter or a light oil like canola. Slowly poach the fish until it begins to flake but never let it go over 140-145 degrees.

Coconut Crepe

Add eggs, 2 Tbsp. clarified butter, 1/2 coconut milk, 1 tsp. fish sauce, 1 clove garlic, and flour into a blender.  Blend until well mixed.  The batter should be very thin.  If not then add whole milk and reblend until it is smooth and very thin.  Heat a griddle on low heat, spray with oil, and pour about a 1/4 cup batter at a time on the griddle, tilting the griddle to spread the batter evenly around into a thin crepe. Let the crepe lightly brown, then flip.  Once its lightly browned on both sides, place on a large plate and cover tightly.

Curry Sauce

Heat a small sauce pan on medium heat and add a little of the clarified butter from the poaching pan.  Add the curry paste and heat until it softens and starts to come apart.  Add the rest of the coconut milk and garlic and heat through.  It should be very thin, if it’s too thick then add a little water to thin it out.

Sautéed Fiddleheads

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add several tablespoons of the poaching butter.  Sauté the fiddleheads with a little salt and white pepper until tender.

Plating

Place a little sauce onto each plate.  Plate strips of fish inside crepes and roll tightly.  Slice 1 inch pieces on a diagonal and place in the center of the sauce.  Place a few fiddleheads on top.  Dust the plate with more salt and white pepper.