Halibut with Clams in a Saffron Sauce

Summary

Yield
Servings
SourceThe Silver Spoon Cookbook
Prep time1 hour
RegionItaly

Description

Halibut with Clams in a Saffron SauceHere's a wonderful dish suitable for company and a beautiful table. The halibut sits on a bed of pureed seasoned potatoes and is surrounded by littlenecks and dressed with a savory saffron sauce. It's exquisite!

There's a lot to this recipe, both ingredients and steps, but none of it is particularly rare or difficult; you can make this any time that halibut is available, and after the first time it is really not hard. 

Ingredients

1lbLittleneck clams
3TOlive oil
1cDry White Wine
1clvGarlic (crushed)
1eaShallot (chopped)
3eaboiling potatoes (diced)
1⁄2cConcentrated Fish Stock
1eaTomato (diced and seeded)
2lbHalibut
6TButter (Unsalted)
10eaSaffron threads
1pnChili Powder
1TParsley, Flat-Leaf

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a skillet with a cover, heat the clams with half the oil and half the garlic until they open. Put the clams in a dish and save the liquid.
  3. Heat the remaining oil with the chopped shallot for 5 minutes, then add the potatoes and the remaining wine. Let the wine evaporate.
  4. When the wine has evaporated, reduce the heat. Add the concentrated fish stock and half of the reserved clam liquid and simmer the potatoes in this savory broth until very tender.
  5. When the potatoes are tender, puree them and then put them in the bottom of an oiled oven-safe serving dish. Surround the puree with the diced tomato.
  6. Set the halibut on top of the potatoes, season with salt and pepper if you like, and bake until done, about 20 minutes.
  7. In a small bowl, crush the saffron threads, then beat together the butter and chili powder with the broken saffron.
  8. When the fish is almost done, put the clams around it to warm them up.
  9. When the fish is done, spread the saffron butter on it, sprinkle the parsley over it, and serve hot.
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