Rose Harissa Baked Halibut with Beurre Blanc
Beurre Blanc
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
1 cup butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and chilled
Options: thyme, tarragon, or sorrel
Boil wine, vinegar, and shallot and optional herb in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until liquid is syrupy and reduced to 2 to 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes.
Add cream, salt, and white pepper and boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium low and add a few tablespoons butter, whisking constantly. Add remaining butter a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly and adding new pieces before previous ones have completely liquefied (the sauce should maintain consistency of hollandaise), removing the saucepan from heat occasionally to cool mixture, so that it won't split.
Remove from heat, then season to taste with salt and pepper and pour sauce through a medium-mesh sieve into a saucepot pressing on and then discarding shallot and optional herbs. Serve immediately. It can be made in advance, just gently reheat.
Rose Harissa
3-5 red peppers, halved and seeded
4-8 (make it as spicy or as mild as you like) chilies
5-7 garlic cloves
4+ tbs olive oil, with extra for topping jar
4-8 tbs dried or fresh edible rose petals
1 tsp sea salt, to tastes
up to 1/2 tsp rose or orange blossom water (I found that the orange blossom water was a milder flavour that matched better)
Preheat oven to 250ºF (120ºC).
Place peppers and chilies cut side down on a lined baking sheet with the garlic cloves and a good drizzle of olive oil. Roast for about an hour. The peppers should not be blackened, just softer. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Place all ingredients in a food processor and purée.
In a medium saucepan, heat some olive oil and add the puréed mixture. Cook until the moisture has evaporated, stirring.
Place harissa in a clean, sterile jar, with room to top with olive oil. Refrigerate and enjoy on pasta, steaks, toast, dips, etc, for at least a month.
Beurre Blanc is, indeed, a very easy to prepare, Classic French sauce. Beurre Blanc can also be served with asparagus, and other fish, such as salmon, steelhead trout, Arctic Char, etc. Bake the filet, with adjustment for thickness. Serve with Basmati Rice Pilaf and creamy spinach. Visit KarenFood for tips & quips!