Spring Dill Soup with Seared Alaskan Halibut and Crisped Prosciutto
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ pound fresh Alaska Grown dill (about 2 large bunches)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium Alaska Grown leeks, trimmed, sliced and cleaned
- 2 medium Alaska Grown white fleshed potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- ground cayenne pepper, to taste
- fresh ground nutmeg, to taste
- 3 vegetable bouillon cubes
- up to 2 cups Alaska Grown whole milk
- 4 to 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 (4-ounce) wild Alaska halibut fillets
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- garnish: 8 slices Crisp Prosciutto
Preparation
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Step 1 Prep the fresh dill
Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add fresh dill and let boil for 1 minute. Shock dill in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.
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Step 2 Cook the soup
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add leeks and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes, cayenne, ground nutmeg, and stir. Add enough water to cover vegetables (about 8 cups). Add bouillon, stir, and let simmer over medium heat until potatoes are fork tender, about 18 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Pour into a high-powered blender and blend, in batches if needed, until smooth; add milk to thin soup if too thick. Taste and add more salt and pepper, as desired.
- Blend reserved dill with a small amount of water in a blender until completely broken down and vibrant green. Stir into soup. Keep soup warm over low heat while preparing halibut.
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Step 3 Prepare the halibut
Preheat oven to 400°. Heat butter in 2 large ovenproof sauté pans or 1 very large one over medium high heat. Place fillets in pan, without overcrowding the pan, and cook until golden brown on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Place pan in oven and let fillets cook another few minutes. Cooking time will depend on thickness of fish. Test halibut by gently pressing the tip of a knife into the center of the fish, pull back slightly, fish should yield at knifepoint and not be translucent.
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Step 4 Crisp Prosciutto
Preheat oven to 350°. Lay prosciutto flat on a parchment-lined sheet tray; top with an additional piece of parchment paper and a second sheet tray to weigh it down. Cook for about 15 minutes until fat is slightly browned and prosciutto crisp. Note: This can be done ahead of time, cooled, and stored in freezer. Gently reheat before serving.
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Step 5 Plate and serve
Divide halibut evenly among 4 bowls. Gently ladle soup around halibut and top with prosciutto. Grate fresh nutmeg over, and garnish with dill.
