Pancetta Wrapped Halibut

By ruthg

Serves 4
The halibut can be wrapped a few hours in advance and refrigerated.
This versatile cream sauce goes well with chicken, pork or even fish. Add a bit of fresh pesto and it can easily be transformed into a delicious pasta dish as well. The cream sauce can also be made in advance and kept warm in a bain marie (you may need to re-whisk it before serving).

http://rouxbe.com/recipes/18-pancetta-wrapped-halibut

Ingredients

• Dijon cream sauce:
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
• Pancetta wrapped halibut
• four 5 oz pieces halibut
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 24 pieces thinly-sliced pancetta
• Cabbage side
• 1/2 head cabbage
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• To fry the halibut
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter or oil
• To plate
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

For the Dijon Sauce:
Heat a fry pan over medium heat. Add the butter and minced shallots. Saute for about one minute and then add the white wine. Let reduce until only a few tablespoons of liquid remain.
Next, add the cream. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the sauce reduce by at least half, whisking occasionally. This will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes on medium-low heat. Make sure the cream does not boil over. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Once done, stir in the Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or keep warm, covered in a bain marie.

Wrap halibut
Season each piece of halibut with freshly ground black pepper.
Wrap each piece of halibut with 6 slices of pancetta: 3 on the top and 3 on the bottom. Overlap each slice and take care to wrap the edges. Lightly squeeze the pancetta and halibut to seal it together.
Place into the refrigerator while you prepare the cabbage. This can even be done a few hours in advance.

Cook Cabbage
Remove the core from the cabbage. remove the outer leaves and discard. Dice the cabbage.
Heat a large, stainless-steel pan over medium to medium-high heat and add the butter. Once it starts to brown, add the cabbage and saute for about 5 to 10 minutes or until it starts to soften but still has a bit of a crunch. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Cook Halibut
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once properly heated, add the butter or oil. Cook the halibut for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side or just until done. This will depend on the thickness of the fish. You may need to turn the heat down to medium, so the pancetta does not get too crispy or burn.

Plate:
To plate the dish, ladle about 1/8 cup of sauce onto the center of each plate. Then top with about 1/2 cup of sautéed cabbage. Place a piece of halibut over top and garnish with seasoned watercress, if desired. Serve immediately.