Seared Halibut with Peanut-Pork Ragu
Serves 4
Cilantro vinaigrette:
2 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon honey
Salt, pepper
Peanut-pork ragu:
1/4 cup salted, roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces ground pork
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
1 teaspoon sambal chile paste
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Halibut:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Four 6-ounce skinless halibut fillets
1. Puree the cilantro vinaigrette ingredients, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. (The vinaigrette will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
2. For the ragu: Grind the peanuts in a mini-food processor or grinder until fairly fine.
3. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pork and increase the heat to medium-high, breaking up the meat and cooking until browned, 4 minutes.
4. Add 1/2 cup water, the sugar, miso, tamarind, sambal and ground peanuts to the pork. Simmer until thickened, 2
minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the lime juice and keep warm.
5. For the halibut: Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet, large enough to hold the fillets without crowding, over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper, then cook until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
6. Divide the pork ragu among 4 plates, top each with a piece of fish, and drizzle with a bit of the vinaigrette.
-- Stephanie Izard, "Girl in the Kitchen" (Chronicle, 256 pages, $29.95)