Recipe: Halibut Filet with Seafood Medley and Champagne Saffron Sauce

HALIBUT FILET WITH LOCAL SEAFOOD MEDLEY
AND CHAMPAGNE SAFFRON SAUCE

8 Mahogany clams
12 mussels
1 cup (235 ml) white wine
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 pinch saffron
1 tsp. butter
1 cup (235 ml) clam and mussel juice
1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (235 ml) champagne, divided use
salt & pepper
4 (4 oz. each) (115 g) North Atlantic halibut filets
4 diver-harvested scallops
ribbons of beet, celery root, carrot, potato
1 tbsp. butter

Cook the clams and mussels in a thick bottomed pan with the white wine. Strain and reserve the liquid.

In a pan cook without color the shallots, garlic and saffron in 1 tsp. butter on low heat for 3 minutes.

Add the clam and mussel liquid, increase the heat to high and reduce the liquid by half.

Add the cream and half of the champagne. Reduce to a sauce, which coats a spoon. Season with salt and pepper and strain.

Season and sear the halibut and scallops - leaving a blush center in fresh seafood is ideal.

Saute the vegetable ribbons together in the butter until tender. Season to taste and place in the center of the plate.

Place the cooked halibut on the vegetable ribbons with the scallop on one side.

Reheat the sauce with the clams and mussels in it. Add the remaining champagne.

Arrange the mussels and clams around the halibut and spoon some of the sauce liberally over and between the seafood.

Servings: 4