Halibut Served atop Roasted Poblano Pepper and Grilled Pineapple, Finished with Asian Cilantro Sauce and Jalapeno Vinaigrette

MASTER CHEF AUDTION RECIPE

Serves 4

 Vinaigrette:

3 oz fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar

2 tsp dark agave nectar (regular agave nectar is too sweet!)

1 Tbsp minced jalapeno

1 Tbsp minced cilantro

¼ tsp white pepper

¼ tsp kosher salt

2/3 c extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in the jar of a blender.  Blend until slightly smooth and well combined.  Scrape down the sides of the blender jar.  Slowly pour in the olive oil while the blender is on medium speed.  Turn the blender on high and blend until the vinaigrette is smooth.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside until ready for use.

Poblanos:

4 poblano peppers

1 tsp avocado oil

Preheat the broiler.  Place poblano peppers on a cookie sheet and broil until the skin bubbles and becomes slightly charred.  Once one side is charred, use tongs to rotate the peppers until all sides are charred.  Immediately place the peppers into a zipper bag and seal for 10 minutes.  The steam will cause the skin to loosen, making peeling the peppers easy.  Carefully peel all four peppers with a paring knife.  Cut around the stem end and pull out the stem and seeds.  Grease a cookie sheet with the avocado oil.  Slice open one side of the peeled, deseeded pepper and lay it flat on the greased cookie sheet.  Continue with the remaining peppers.

Grilled Pineapple:

1 ripe pineapple

1 Tbsp dark agave nectar

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  Trim both ends of the pineapple.  Place one flat end of the pineapple on a cutting board.  Cut down the sides of the pineapple to remove the rind.  Lay the pineapple on its side and cut ½” discs.  Brush both sides of the pineapple slices with the agave nectar.  Grill pineapple slices for 3 minutes on each side, being careful when flipping the slices so they don’t rip.  Lay the grilled slices on the cookie sheet with the poblano peppers.  Set aside.

 Cilantro Sauce:

2 cups packed cilantro leaves

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 green onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)

1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger

½ jalapeno, chopped (leave seeds for a spicy sauce, otherwise remove)

3 Tbsp avocado oil

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

Kosher salt to taste

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.  Add kosher salt to taste.  Place the sauce in a squeeze bottle.  Snip the tip of the bottle so the opening is large enough for the sauce to come out without getting clogged.  If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, scrape the sauce into a zipper bag.  When you’re ready to plate, snip the corner of the zipper bag to pipe the sauce on the plate. Set sauce aside until ready for use.

Halibut:

4 6-ounce halibut filets

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp avocado oil

Heat the oven to 200 degrees and place the cookie sheet with the poblanos and pineapple inside to warm.  Season the halibut on both sides with kosher salt and pepper.  Add avocado oil to a large skillet on medium heat.  I prefer a heavy-bottomed skillet, such as cast iron or similar, but a nonstick skillet is fine, too.  Once the oil is very hot (this is important!), place the fish in the skillet and cook for three to four minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your filets.  Remove halibut from the skillet once it reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees.

Plating:

Pour three tablespoons of vinaigrette on each dinner plate and swirl the dish to coat.  You may need more or less, depending on the size of your plate.  Remove the poblano and pineapple from the oven.  Place one butterflied poblano in the center of the plate.  Top with two slices of pineapple, slightly layered.  Top with halibut filet.  Dot or add swirls of cilantro sauce to the plate.  Serve. 

Enjoy!