Halibut and Mussels

Method

Prepare the seafood

1. Bring the fish towards room temperature

   Take the halibut out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking so it is not fridge-cold when it goes into the pan.

   Fish resting: 20 min
2. Steam the mussels

   Pull away the mussel beards and rinse the shells well under cold running water. Heat a lidded saucepan over a medium heat, add the drained mussels with a splash of water, cover and steam just until the shells begin to open.

   Mussels: 3 min 180°C (356°F)
3. Pick the mussels

   Drain the mussels through a colander, keeping the cooking liquor. Once cool enough to handle, remove the mussel meat from the shells and check again for any remaining beards. Cover the meat with the reserved liquor and set aside.

Make the cream sauce

4. Reduce the stock

   Pour the chicken stock into a medium saucepan and simmer until reduced by about half.

   Stock reduction: 6 min 180°C (356°F)
5. Add the cream

   Stir in the double cream and continue simmering until the sauce has reduced again and thickened enough to lightly coat a spoon.

   Cream reduction: 6 min
6. Season the sauce

   Add lemon juice and salt to taste, then keep the sauce to one side until ready to serve.

Cook the vegetables

7. Blanch the baby leeks

   Bring a pan of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Trim the tops and bottoms from the baby leeks, rinse them well, then boil for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.

   Baby leeks: 2 min 30 sec 100°C (212°F)
8. Refresh the leeks

   Lift the leeks into iced water to stop them cooking, then drain on kitchen paper. Keep the pan of cooking water for the samphire.

9. Boil the samphire

   Near serving time, briefly boil the samphire in the reserved water until tender, then drain and dry on kitchen paper.

   Samphire: 1 min 30 sec 100°C (212°F)

Cook the halibut

10. Season the fish

    Season the halibut lightly with salt just before cooking.

11. Pan-fry the halibut

    Heat a frying pan until hot, add a splash of rapeseed oil, then carefully lay in the halibut. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the base is beginning to turn opaque, spooning the hot oil over the fish as it cooks.

    First side of halibut: 2 min 30 sec 190°C (374°F)
12. Turn and finish

    Gently turn the fish over to finish cooking. Add the baby leeks to the pan so they colour on one side.

    Second side of halibut: 2 min
13. Baste and rest

    Add the unsalted butter and a squeeze of lemon juice to the pan. Baste the fish and leeks, then lift them out, spoon over the pan juices and leave the fish to rest briefly.

    Fish resting: 1 min

Serve

14. Warm the mussels

    Gently reheat the cream sauce, then add the picked mussels and warm them through without boiling hard.

    Mussels in sauce: 1 min 30 sec 150°C (302°F)
15. Plate the dish

    Divide the mussels and cream sauce between two bowls. Arrange the samphire and baby leeks in the sauce, then place the rested halibut on top and serve straight away.