Halibut
with Portobello Mushrooms


submitted by Ted Mackel


Ingredients
1 Pound Halibut Steak
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 Tablespoons Progresso Bread Crumbs (Garlic & Herb)
1 Egg
1/4 Cup milk
2 large portobello mushroom caps
1/2 Onion
1 Sprig fresh rosemary
1 Clove garlic
3 Sprigs fresh Italian Parsley
Balsamic Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Feta Cheese with Garlic & Herbs
Cognac

 


 

 

Take a large plate and combine the breadcrumbs and flour. Mix thoroughly. The Progresso breadcrumbs have spices added to them and are very easy to use. This will also cut down time in your kitchen so you can easily make this on a weekday after work.

In a mixing bowl combine egg and milk and whip with a fork. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan over very low heat. Take the halibut steak and cut in half removing the main bone. Remove any skin.

Soak the halibut in the egg and milk, coating both sides. Next dredge the entire halibut on all sides in the flour and breadcrumbs. Immediately place the breaded halibut in the sauté pan with the hot oil and turn the heat up to medium.

It is important to keep an eye on the halibut. Remember you can turn the heat down for better control and you may need to as the halibut needs to cook while you prepare the mushrooms in the next step.


If you have full portobello mushroom caps slice the caps into strips approximately 3/4 of an inch thick. Dice the onion. On low heat, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in another sauté pan. Add onion, strip the leaves from the parsley sprigs and add with the onions, add the rosemary sprig whole. Press garlic in garlic press directly into sauté pan. Turn up the heat and cook until onions soften. Make sure not to let the onions caramelize. Once the onions are soft, turn down the heat.

Next, add the portobello mushrooms to the onions and turn the heat to medium. Immediately add 4 to 6 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and sauté until mushrooms begin to soften. It is important that you turn over the mushrooms and onions as it cooks to get the juices, flavors, oil and vinegar to coat the mushrooms. While you are cooking the mushrooms check to see if the halibut has browned on one side and turn over gently with a large spatula. Depending on the heat level you may need to turn the halibut sooner or later.

 

 


 

Keeping an eye on the halibut, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of cognac to the mushroom and onion sauté pan. If you have not cooked with cognac please be careful, it is highly flammable. Use smaller amounts, until you are comfortable. As soon as you add the cognac, stir the pan quickly to spread the cognac, stand back and tip the pan to the open flame and ignite the cognac. A word of caution here, the ignited cognac could creat a flame as high as 24 inches. Do not lean over or near the pan when you ignite it. Stir the food as it cooks in the flame of the cognac and as soon as the cognac stops burning add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Continue to sauté the onions and mushroom mixture until the onions have begun to caramelize. Keep checking the halibut throughout this process and turn off the heat if it is brown on both sides.


Place the halibut in the center of a plate, top with mushrooms and drizzle the onions and sauce over the mushrooms. Splash some balsamic vinegar over the dish and top with feta cheese. A good side dish would be wild rice. Serve with wine or premium ale.