Get Cooking: Seared Halibut Cheeks

Chef Aaron Cook
Executive Chef, Binkley’s Kitchen & Bar

Ingredients:

• 2 each Halibut Cheeks
• Panko bread crumbs, to coat
• 1 lemon
• 2 ounces Tequila
• 1 ounce shallot, diced
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ pound butter, softened + 1 tablespoon
• Tabasco to taste
• 2 ounces toasted walnuts
• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ bunch cilantro, washed and patted dry
• 2 ounce extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in pan over medium high heat. Drizzle lemon juice on the Halibut Cheeks, season with salt and pepper and coat them on both sides with Panko.
2. Place the Halibut in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook other side until cooked through. Remove from pan and let rest.
3. In a sauce pan, heat the tequila and shallot until the alcohol has been burned off. Add cream and simmer until reduced by half. Pull off heat and whisk in ¼ pound butter. Season with salt, pepper and Tabasco as desired.
4. Using a mortar and pestle (a food processor works also), muddle the walnut, olive oil, cheese, garlic, cilantro, salt & pepper until a mash is formed.
5. To plate, place the Halibut on a plate and spoon the sauce over the fish. Finish with a dollop of pesto.