Pan seared halibut with honey lavender sea salt

This is up there with Fireworks Chefs Butters top 5 favorite recipes of all time. It's the definition of simple and delicious eating with grass fed compound butter as the star (or maybe the halibut is) of the meal... This is a go to recipe for special celebrations.

The reason this is a go to recipe for me for friends or family visiting or birthdays and celebrations is because its so dang simple. The main dish is really just 4 ingredients... I learned how to make this halibut while living in a studio condo at the Pike Place Public Market in Seattle. Fresh fish were in abundance and my friend and land lord at the time taught me this technique from his time at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

I now live in Colorado where fresh fish are not in abundance, but I have a few quick tips that can help you succeed in cooking this delicious flakey fish.

First, buy it the day you are going to cook it. Fish, like most foods you cook, lose a huge percentage of water in the process of getting them home and on the table. You want to preserve as much moisture in the fish as possible.

Second, always rinse it in cold water. Adding a bit of moisture back can't hurt it right? It'll help rinse of some of the odor and bacteria away.

Third, adjust your cooking times. Fish cooks ridiculously fast in most cases. Nothing worse than over done fish. Like any meat, it will continue cooking once its off the stove so be sure to check early and often for doneness.

Searing a delicate fish seems a lofty proposition I know. But you must trust me, it can and should be done. You will need some helpful tools to get started: 10 inch cast iron skillet, oven mitts, hot pad, large metal fish spatula for flipping, and a splatter screen for deflecting hot oil.

Ingredients for 4-6 main dish size servings:

1.5-2 lbs Halibut

½ Fireworks butter burst- Honey Lavender Sea Salt Butter, room temp

2 tbs good olive oil

1-2 tsp Herbs de provence

Flake salt to finish

 Preparation:

You can do this all in a skillet and on the stove. Its really not hard once you get going. You just need a little practice flipping the fish in the hot skillet. Be sure to wear sleeves and an apron while you cook this. I burnt my arms pretty bad once from the splattering oil.

1. Get the skillet hot. Add 2 tbs olive oil, don't let it burn. Once the pan is hot add the fish, skin side down. Sear for 5 minutes depending on how big your filet is. Maybe even 6-7 min if its a thick cut.
2. Get your fish spatula ready and flip the fish onto the flesh side. Yes, that is right, sear flesh side down for another 2-5 minutes.
3. Flip back on to the skin side. Leave in skillet.
4. Transfer to a warmed serving platter and spread the finishing butter on top of fish. Serve Immediately. 

Wine pairing: With this fish I love a crisp white like a Sauvignon blanc or sancerre.