Braised Pacific Halibut with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Clams
The halibut's smooth, buttery texture is accented here by the sharp brininess of the clams. Be sure not to overcook the halibut; its texture is best when the fish is just barely cooked through.
Ingredients
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4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
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1/2 pound oyster or hen of the woods mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
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3 large leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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3 cups lower-salt chicken broth
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4 skinless Pacific halibut fillets (about 4 ounces each)
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16 to 24 small clams, such as Manila or littlenecks, scrubbed
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1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
1.
Melt the butter over medium heat in an 11- or 12-inch straight-sided saute pan with a lid. Add the mushrooms and leeks and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the broth, raise the heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.
2.
Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Nestle the fish and clams among the vegetables in the skillet. Bring the broth back to a boil, cover tightly, and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently until the fish is just cooked through and the clams have opened, about 7 minutes. If all of the clams are not open, remove the fish and the open clams and continue cooking until the remaining clams open, another 2 to 3 minutes. Discard any clams that haven't opened by this time.
3.
Serve the fish in warmed shallow soup bowls, topped with leeks and mushrooms, surrounded by clams and broth, and sprinkled with chopped parsley.
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