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Halibut and Cockles in Herb Broth

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh chives, plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves, plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
3 cups fish stock
1 pound cockles or clams, scrubbed
4 Pacific halibut, striped bass, or Pacific cod fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds total), skinned, bones removed
Freshly ground pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cover mushrooms with boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 3 minutes. Drain, and finely chop; set aside.

    Step 2

    Put 1/4 cup of each of the herbs into a food processor; set aside. Stir together remaining 3 tablespoons of each of the herbs, the mushrooms, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

    Step 3

    Bring stock to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat to medium-low; add cockles. Cover; cook until cockles open, about 2 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cockles to a bowl, and cover. (Keep heat on).

    Step 4

    Season both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Add to stock. Cover; cook, carefully turning once, until center is opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer fish to a plate, and cover.

    Step 5

    Bring stock to a boil. Pour half the stock into a food processor with herbs; purée (be very careful with hot liquid). Add to remaining stock; pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on herbs; discard herbs. Divide fish and cockles among bowls. Ladle broth into bowls; top fish with reserved herb mixture.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.
Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.
TagsHalibutFishSeafoodClamShellfishPorcini MushroomMushroomVegetableBasilHerbs & SpicesChiveTarragonParsleyMainDinnerDairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeSteamFood ProcessorCookbooks
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