Ingredients
Halibut
4 x 3oz Halibut
12 Negi onion tops
Salt
Mirin
Pickled wild onion
40 wild onion bulbs (greens removed)
1qt tomato water (recipe follows)
2.5oz sherry vinegar
2.5oz dewberry vinegar (recipe follows)
3tsp raw sugar
2 star anise
0.5tsp fennel seed
0.5tsp mustard seed
0.5tsp coriander seed
0.5tsp allspice
1tsp cubeb peppercorns
4 juniper berries
Tomato water
4 tomatoes
1 basil sprig
Salt
Sugar
Dewberry vinegar
4 dewberries
Charred leek oil
1 leek top
12oz grapeseed oil
Cippolini onions
4 Cippolini onions
1oz olive oil
1 thyme sprig
Roasted young shallots
4 young shallots (in skins)
5oz grapeseed oil
1 sprig summer savory
Salt
Pepper
Onion pudding
3 shaved Spanish onions
1qt milk
2oz olive oil
Iota carrageenan
Charred leek emulsion
2 egg yolks
Roasted onion pulp
Roasted garlic
Olive oil
Charred leek oil
5tsp squid ink
To serve
1 halibut portion
1 roasted shallot
1 charred young garlic
1 pickled onion bulb
1 bunching onion (just cleaned and trimmed)
0.5oz onion pudding
0.5oz charred leek emulsion
Charred leek oil
Smoked sea salt
Method
Halibut
Demi cure the halibut prior to portioning by liberally sprinkling with sea salt, allow to rest overnight. The following morning wipe off the salt with a rag soaked in mirin. Portion the halibut to size. Blanch the onion tops in salted boiling water, refresh in an ice bath. Split the onions length wise and dry on paper towels, it is important to dry the onion tops very well. Cut the onion tops roughly 4” long. Lay the onion tops on plastic wrap, slightly overlapping and just longer than the portion of the fish (excess can be trimmed after the portion is rolled). Roll the fish into a tube occasionally poking it with a cake tester to let out excess air; take care to roll very tight. Tie off each end of the tube and reserve for service.
Pickled wild onion
Combine all pickling ingredients and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, lower the heat and add the onion bulbs. Cook the bulbs until slightly tender. Reserve for plating.
Tomato water
Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor until chunky, and allow to drip through a cloth for 18 hours. Reserve the liquid, discard the solid.
Dewberry vinegar
Crush the berries in a ceramic bowl and cover with cheese cloth for up to a week until bubbling has stopped, this could take up to a week depending on time of the season the berries were harvested etc.. Strain through a chinois lined with a cheese cloth taking are to not press it and allow the vinegar to mature covered by cheese cloth until desired acidity is reached (I let mine rest for 10 days).
Charred leek oil
Place the leek tops in an oven and roast dry until they become black and charred, stirring occasionally. Once the leek tops are totally charred place them in a blender with the oil and blend on high until all of the leek tops are ground. Place in a squeeze bottle and reserve for plating.
Caramelized young garlic
Place on a Plancha and char on one side, reserve for plating
Roasted onion broth
Roast in the oven at 350° for 4.5 hours pouring off the liquid that collects. Save the onion liquor for reheating the onions, and blend on high speed the roasted onion pulp.
Cippolini onions
Place all ingredients in a vacuum bag and seal on high pressure. Cook in a water bath at 181°F for 45 minutes. Reserve the onions in their liquid.
Roasted young shallots
Toss the shallots in the grapeseed oil with the savory, salt & pepper. Place a heave bottomed roasting pan on the stove and heat to the smoke point, add the shallots and blister all the way around constantly stirring. Once the shallots have become tender remove them from the pan and allow to cool on paper towels at room temperature. Peel off their exteriors and reserve for service, you can place the charred peels into a sauce to add a different dimension of flavor.
Onion pudding
Rinse the onions under cold running water until the water runs clear. Once the onions are thoroughly rinsed pat them dry and place in a heavy bottomed sauce pot. Cover the onions with the milk and cook until just tender about 35 minutes, strain the onions and discard their milk. Dry the strained onions and place in a blender. Blend the onions on high speed slowly emulsifying in the olive oil in a slow steady stream. Season at this point with salt and white pepper and add a pinch of the carrageenan, blend until smooth and at a thick consistency. Push through a tamis and reserve warm to plate.
Charred leek emulsion
Place the yolks, onion pulp, roasted garlic, and squid ink in a blender, begin slowly blending gradually raising the speed. Once you have a smooth puree begin adding the oils in a slow steady stream until a shiny emulsion has formed, pass through a tamis and reserve for plating.
To serve
Place your Halibut Tube in a water bath set at 129°F for 11 minutes. Gently warm the pickled onion and bunching onion in a butter emulsion with a few drops of the pickling liquid, steam the charred garlic with olive oil and the reserved roasted onion juice, place the shallot on a tray dressed in sea salt and charred leek oil in a finishing oven until warmed through. Spread with a offset spatula the charred leek emulsion, and place a quenelle of the onion pudding off to the side. Once the Halibut is cooked slice off each end and unroll from the plastic wrap place on the leek emulsion. Garnish around the outside with the other onions and chive flowers. Glaze the fish in the roasted onion liquid and olive oil, finish with smoked sea salt.