Chef Amanda McGraw is one of the few female executive chefs in Houston and she runs the kitchen at one of the busiest restaurants in town: Brasserie 19. Halibut is a delicious fish and McGraw shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make it with melted leeks and a crab beurre blanc. Chef McGraw says that people should not be afraid to make a beurre blanc sauce and she demonstrates how to do it.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston,
listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, she gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)

Pan Seared Alaskan Halibut with Jumbo Lump Crab, Melted Leeks, Herb Beurre Blanc (yields 4 servings)
Chef Amanda McGraw, Brasserie 19

Tip: Have your sauce & vegetables prepped and ready before starting the fish.

Alaskan Halibut Ingredients

• 4-7 oz center cut portions of Alaskan halibut, no pin bones, no skin
• 2 tbsp vegetable or grapeseed oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground white pepper
• ½ C chicken stock

Directions
1. In a sauté pan over high heat add oil.
2. Season both sides of fish. Place fish presentation side down in pan. Reduce heat to medium high. Do not touch it or flip it.
It should be a nice golden brown sear. Fish should cook about ¾ of the way on one side before flipping.
3. Flip over, add stock and continue cooking about 3 more minutes until done. 7 minutes per inch of thickness.

Melted Leeks Ingredients

• 6 cups sliced & washed leeks, white & light green part only
• 2 cups dry white wine
• ¼ lb butter, unsalted
• 1 tbsp vegetable or grapeseed oil
• kosher salt to taste
• ground white pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large pan, add leeks, reduce heat to medium. Do not allow leeks to brown.
Sweat leeks down for about 5 minutes.
2. Add white wine. Reduce wine out until the leeks are just wet.
3. Add butter, salt & white pepper.

Baby Carrots Ingredients

• 1 bunch baby carrots
• Water
• Salt

Directions
1. Wash carrots.
2. Bring pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots & blanch carrots until just tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Chill in ice bath, dry, slice in half lengthwise.

Asparagus Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus

Directions
1. Use same pot of water as used for carrots. Bring to a boil, blanch asparagus until just tender, about 2 minutes.
2. Chill in ice bath, dry, cut in thirds on a bias.

Beurre Blanc Sauce Ingredients

• ½ lb jumbo lump crab, remove any shell pieces
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and chilled
• 1 bunch chives, minced
• Lemon juice to taste

Directions
1. In sauté pan add shallots, thyme, bay leaf, white wine, vinegar.
Reduce until au sec (nearly dry), add cream, reduce by half.
2. Remove from heat & gradually whisk in butter.
3. Season, strain, add lemon juice to taste, add warmed crab & chives.