Halibut On Mashed Fava Beans With Mint

Name: Halibut On Mashed Fava Beans With Mint
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients: fava beans; mint leaves; mint leaves; lemon; kosher salt; sweet red bell peppers; halibut fillets; olive oil, extra-virgin; flour

Submitted by happyzhangbo

Pan-seared halibut over a mashed fava bean purée with fresh mint and lemon zest. A spring dinner that bridges tender flaky fish with grassy, herbaceous mashed favas.

YIELD

4 servings

PREP

8 min

COOK

10 min

READY

22 min

This is what spring on a plate looks like. Fresh fava beans get blanched and double-peeled (pain in the neck, genuinely worth it), then sautéed in olive oil and coarse-mashed with a potato masher into a rough, rustic purée. Fresh mint, grated lemon zest, and a final drizzle of good olive oil stir through at the end, so the purée tastes like it was picked that morning.

Halibut fillets get a quick mint-lemon-red-pepper rub, dredged lightly in flour, and pan-seared in two skillets at once (for even cooking without crowding) until the edges crisp and the center turns opaque. Four minutes per side for three-quarter-inch fillets.

Plate the favas first, land the fish on top, and let the heat from the fish slightly melt into the purée. Elegant, restaurant-pretty, under 25 minutes of active work, mostly prep.

Chef Tips

Double-peel the fava beans. Shell the pods, blanch the beans for 60 seconds, then pop each bean out of its gray skin. Skipping this leaves the beans tough and bitter.
Dredge the fish just before cooking. Coating the fillets too early makes the flour gummy and the crust soggy.
Use two skillets if you have them. Crowding fish in one pan drops the temperature and you end up steaming, not searing.
Stir the fresh mint into the favas at the very end. Cooking mint kills its brightness, and this dish lives on that punch.

Variations

Swap halibut for black cod, sea bass, or thick-cut white fish fillets.
Use frozen double-peeled favas (they exist) when fresh aren’t in season.
Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the table for extra brightness.

Ingredients

POUNDS FAVA BEANS
fresh, in pod, shelled, or 2 1/2 cups frozen doublepeeled fava beans, thawed *

TEASPOONS MINT LEAVES
fresh, chopped *

CUP MINT LEAVES
fresh, chopped *

TEASPOONS LEMONS
peel, finely grated, divided

TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
coarse

PINCH SWEET RED BELL PEPPER
dried crushed, divided *

EACH HALIBUT FILLET
each about 5 ounces, 3/4 inch thick *

TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
divided

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
for dredging, to taste *

Directions

Cook fava beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes; drain.

Transfer to large bowl of ice water.

Cool beans; peel if using fresh beans.

Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Mix 2 teaspoons mint, 1 teaspoon lemon peel, ¾ teaspoon coarse salt, and 1 pinch of red pepper in small bowl.

Arrange fish on large rimmed baking sheet.

Rub mint mixture all over fish.

Do ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat.

Add fava beans.

Sprinkle with coarse salt, black pepper, and pinch of red pepper.

Cook until heated through and tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by ¼ cupfuls if dry, about 5 minutes.

Using potato masher, mash beans to coarse purée, adding water by ¼ cupfuls if dry.

Season with salt and pepper.

Do ahead: Can be made 4 hours ahead.

Let stand at room temperature.

Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat.

Cook fish until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, rewarm fava bean puree.

Stir in remaining ¼ cup mint, 1 teaspoon lemon peel, and 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Divide fava bean purée among plates.

Top with fish and serve.

* not incl. in nutrient facts

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