Halibut Rewards

I have a tendency to obsess on new food discoveries and forget about how great other foods are. Every now and then, fortunately, I remember foods from my past, and one of my recent rediscoveries is halibut, which is sweet and meaty.

Halibut season is November to the end of July. Having rediscovered it just in time, I’m letting my renewed obsession carry me to the end of the season. I also bet I’ll be ready to rediscover it when I reach my turkey saturation point at the end of November.

This preparation for halibut makes a hearty meal, very filling and satisfying. For dessert, I recommend sweet and juicy strawberries. Good as they are by themselves, it’s fun to dress them up a bit by first dipping them in creme frai^che or sour cream and then in brown sugar.

McCracken is a former intern in The Times Test Kitchen.

MENU (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH CREAMY ASPARAGUS AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOM PASTA

STRAWBERRIES WITH CREME FRAICHE (IT’S A SNAP)

BRAISED HALIBUT WITH CREAMY ASPARAGUS AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOM PASTA

1 bunch thin to medium asparagus

Salt

6 ounces pasta

Pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 (6-ounce) halibut fillets

1/4 cup minced shallots

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

6 to 8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

Trim tough ends from asparagus and discard. Slice asparagus diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Bring large pot of water to boil. Add salt to taste and pasta and cook until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in large bowl.

Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Melt butter over medium heat in medium to large skillet until foaming. Put fish in skillet, skinned side up, and cook until bottom begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Turn fish, sprinkle shallots around fillets and pour in 1/2 cup wine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until fish just flakes with tip of fork, 5 to 8 minutes. (Fish will continue to cook when you remove it from the pan.) Remove fish to warm plate and cover.

Pour remaining 1/2 cup wine into skillet and boil over medium heat 1 minute. Add cream and simmer 1 minute. Add asparagus and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus and mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes.

Spoon over pasta and toss until pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Divide pasta between 2 plates and top with fillets.

2 servings. Each serving:

1,013 calories; 559 mg sodium; 176 mg cholesterol; 54 grams fat; 80 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 2.40 grams fiber.

STRAWBERRIES WITH CREME FRAICHE (IT’S A SNAP)

1 pint strawberries

1/2 cup creme fraiche

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

Put berries, creme fraiche and brown sugar in separate bowls. Pick up berry by stem end and dip into creme fraiche, then into brown sugar. Eat as you go.

2 servings. Each serving:

316 calories; 27 mg sodium; 80 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.85 gram fiber.

INGREDIENTS

Shopping List

1 bunch thin to medium asparagus, 10 to 15 spears

Heavy whipping cream

Creme fraiche

2 (6-ounce) halibut fillets

6 to 8 shiitake mushrooms

1 quart strawberries

Staples

Butter

Pasta

Pepper

Salt

Shallots

Brown sugar

Dry white wine

COUNTDOWN:

25 minutes before: Slice mushrooms, asparagus and shallots.

20 minutes before: Begin boiling water for pasta. Wash strawberries.

15 minutes before: Melt butter and begin cooking fish.

12 minutes before: Turn fish and add shallots and wine. Begin cooking pasta.

10 minutes before: Put strawberries, brown sugar and creme frai^che in bowls. Return creme frai^che to refrigerator.

5 minutes before: Remove fish to warm platter. Add wine and cream to sauce.

3 minutes before: Add mushrooms and asparagus to sauce.

2 minutes before: Drain pasta.

Just before serving: Toss pasta with sauce. Place on plates and top with fish fillets.

When ready for dessert: Bring creme frai^che, strawberries and brown sugar to table.