Pan-Seared Halibut topped with fresh summer corn, leeks, sage, and optional pancetta served over Creamy Polenta.
A simple recipe for Seared Halibuttopped with sautéed fresh corn, leeks, pancetta (optional) and earthy sage over a bed of creamy polenta.
With the cooling fall weather, we find ourselves gravitating more towards homey and comforting meals – the perfect time to make this is when fresh corn is still in season!
Comforting, while remaining relatively light, theflavors compliment each other really well, bridging the gap between summer and fall.
You’ll be surprised at how decadent the meal feels, withsuch a short investment of time.
You can use shiitake mushrooms or bacon instead of pancetta and a sweet onion instead of the leeks.
To lighten up the creamy polenta, use a few tablespoons of sour cream instead of cheese.
The slightly tangy flavor of the sour cream brings the whole dish together.
Other Fish Options:
Often I’ll use sea bass, salmon, scallops, black cod or prawns if I can’t get my hands on halibut, and all are good substitutes.
More halibut recipes you may like:
- Mushroom Dusted Halibut
- Fennel Crusted Halibut with Asparagus Sauce
- Cornmeal Crusted Halibut with Summer Succotash
- Spring Pea Risotto with Halibut
On the Homefront: As summer slowly shifts into fall, we arefinallyable to take a deep breath –another wedding season nearing its end.
For weeks, our dining room table has been overrun with backpacking gearwhich Brian thoughtfully sorts and sifts through –adding, subtracting, before packing it up for his annual trip to the woods. The weekapart does us good, allowing us time to recover from the stress of our work and being together perhaps, a little too much.
For the first few days, we both feel this incredibleliberation, this freedomof having no one to check in with, or account for our time. But as the first few quiet glorious days pass, I begin to notice how all the little things that seem to “magically” get done around here, strangely don’t, while he’s gone. 😉
And after a few more days, the silence I’ve yearned for, becomestoo quiet, and my thoughts return to him more and more as I begin to feel his absence. Our annoyances with each other gradually fade into the background, and once more I see him with clearer eyes and a heart that’s been softened.
I start to appreciate how different we are… and how absolutely necessary this is.By day six, I’ll miss him desperately. And it’s this feeling of missing,that over the years I’ve come to love and trust, for it comes straight from the heart -undeniable, real.
Enjoy the halibut!
xoxo
Sylvia
Seared Halibut with Fresh Corn, Leek, Sage and Polenta
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- Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home Blog
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: fish, dinner
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Northwest
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A delicious recipe for seared Halibut, featuring fresh summer corn, leeks, sage and optional pancetta served over creamy polenta.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Creamy Polenta:
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Sauteed Fresh Corn:
- 1/8–1/4 cup finely chopped pancetta (optional, see notes)
- 1–2 leeks, (1 cup white and light green parts) -sliced into 1/4 inch half-moons (rinse if dirty)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 2 ears fresh corn, shucked, kernels cut off the cob (about 2 cups)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Fish:
- 4 x 4-5 ounce pieces of halibut (or sea bass, black cod, etc. )
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Start the Polenta: In a medium pot bring 4 cups of water to a boil,turn heat to low, and whisk in 1 cup cornmeal (polenta) until smooth. Addsalt, granulated garlic, and a few cracks of pepper. Cover, and let cook on low heat 15-20 minutes. (You will add butter and sour cream, at the end.)
- Make the Corn: Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the pancetta, and cook until crispy. Set these aside. To the same pan, add more oil or butter, then add leeks and stir for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to medium and continue sauteing until leeks become tender about 5 minutes. Add the corn and sage and cook for 5-7 more minutes or until corn is tender. Stir in pancetta, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the Fish: In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil, over medium-high heat. Pat fish dry on all sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add fish, turn heat to medium and cook about 4 minutes, or until perfectly golden. Turn over and cook until done to your liking. Depending on how thick your fish is, cooking times will vary. Turn heat off.
- Finish the polenta- give a good stir, whisk in butter and sour cream. Taste, adjust salt.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the polenta among 4 bowls. Top with seared fish. Spoon the warm corn leek mixture over and around fish. Garnish with a sage leaf. Enjoy!
Notes
The corn-leek mixture can be made ahead and reheated.
Feel free to sub-two slices of bacon ( chopped) for the pancetta, or shittake mushrooms
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 577
- Sugar: 5.8 g
- Sodium: 810.7 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.4 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 24.4 g
- Cholesterol: 66.4 mg