Chef's Notes
- This sauce is delicious with any type of white fish, salmon, seafood, chicken or vegetable.
Step 1: Making the Beurre Blanc
- 1 tbsp shallots
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp white wine
- 8 tbsp cold, unsalted butter
- kosher salt (to taste)
- white pepper (to taste)
To prepare the beurre blanc, first mince the shallots. Squeeze the lemon juice and measure out the white wine. Cut the cold butter into tablespoon-size pieces and set aside.
Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, lemon juice and wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid by about two-thirds until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting and whisk in the cold butter one piece at a time to slowly form the emulsion.
Once all of the butter has been incorporated, season with salt and pepper. You may want to add a few more drops of lemon juice to brighten the flavor of the sauce, if needed.
Monitor the sauce closely while you cook the fish. Keep the sauce warm to the touch and whisk often to prevent it from splitting. You may need to turn the heat off and on to keep it at the correct temperature. The heat does not always need to be on, as the residual heat from the pan will keep it warm.
Step 2: Cooking the Fish & Serving
- 4 to 8 halibut* cheeks (or pieces)
- 1 tsp grapeseed oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 lemon
- 1 tsp fresh dill
To cook the fish, heat a non-stick fry pan over medium heat and add the oil and butter.
Pat the fish dry and season with a bit of salt. Cook the fish about 1 to 2 minutes per side or until just done. Squeeze a bit of lemon over the fish.
To finish, chop the dill and whisk into the beurre blanc. Serve the fish immediately with the sauce spooned over top.