Panko Baked Halibut + a giveaway!!!

The chef´s secret is out - panko is in! A longtime secret of Japanese cuisine, panko is now a pantry staple for creating perfect crispiness in any dish. Lemon Pepper has joined the ranks of Progresso´s line of panko bread crumbs, which includes Original and Italian flavors.

I love panko for the extra crunch it adds to the healthier oven 'fried' foods.
The Nudge just loves the crunch.

I was recently given a gift pack including one package of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko to try and an autographed copy of chef Chiarello´s new cookbook: Michael Chiarello´s Bottega.

The very kind people at General Mills and My Blog Spark are also providing another Prize Pack to one lucky winner!

I have looked at every recipe in this cookbook and The Nudge has requested I make them all, it is that good. I was aways a fan of Chef Chiarello, but now he moves right up there under Thomas Keller.

Since this is my very first giveaway (I am already planning another right before Christmas) this is what you need to do:

International readers can participate and as always, you don’t need to have a blog to enter.
You can do any or all of the following (the more you do, the greater your chances of winning!). Please leave a separate comment for each so I can count it as another entry:

1) Leave a comment here letting me know what you would make using the Lemon Pepper Panko.

2) Add me to your RSS feed and leave a comment here letting me know.

3) Link back to this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment here letting me know.

This giveaway ends Tuesday, November 30th at 9PM EST; after that I’ll use a random number generator to determine the winner. The winner will be announced on Thursday. Good luck to all!





While browsing the Serious Eats website recipes I was looking for a recipe that was healthy, seafood based and included hazelnuts (I had just bought a large bag) I stumbled upon a recipe for Pan-Seared Halibut with Caramelized Cauliflower & Hazelnuts.

Brussels sprouts and cauliflower say fall while the panko coated seared halibut said healthy & seafood. I loved the addition of a rich Hazelnut Cream. I'll admit that the recipe is a bit complex, but some steps can be done in stages and even the day before.


Panko Halibut with Caramelized Cauliflower and Hazelnut Sauce
serves 6
Ingredients:

For the Hazelnut Cream:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup hazelnuts, skins removed and roughly chopped
3/4 cup fish stock
3/4 cup heavy cream

For the Caramelized Cauliflower Cream:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound cauliflower, sliced 1/2-inch thick
3/4 cup heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Brussels Sprouts:
3/4 pound medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
4 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

For the Halibut:
6 skinless halibut fillets, 6 ounces each
* 1 cup Lemon Pepper Panko
* egg wash
* 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Procedures
1. Make the Hazelnut Cream: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the hazelnuts and toast them until golden brown, stirring occasionally to keep them from burning, about 3 minutes. Add the fish stock and heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a blender or a food processor fitted with a metal blade and purée until smooth (can be made a day ahead).

2. Make the Cauliflower Cream: Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced cauliflower and cook until the slices are golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the heavy cream and simmer until the cream has been reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Purée the cauliflower mixture in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper (can be made a day ahead)

3. Cook the Brussels Sprouts: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer the sprouts to a bowl of ice water. Once cool, drain the sprouts.

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until foamy. Add the hazelnuts and sauté until they just begin to color, about 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and continue cooking until the sprouts and hazelnuts are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook until the garlic and sage soften, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.



4. Sauté the halibut: Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Dip in egg wash, then in panko. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Place 3 halibut fillets in the pan and cook until the fish begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan and cover it with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 3 halibut fillets.

5. To serve: Place a spoonful of cauliflower cream in the center of 6 plates. Top the cauliflower cream with the halibut, spoon the hazelnut cream on top of the fish, and scatter the Brussels sprouts around the fish. Serve immediately.

Now I know why people on low carb diets use cauliflower as their mashed potato. The Nudge went bonkers over the taste, he loved it that much. Said I could make it every night if I wanted. Amazing, I found a cauliflower recipe he will eat without an eyeroll............

Make this dish. The only carb and Diabetic Unfriendly ingredient in it would be the panko and there really wasn't that much to begin with.