Chef Ben Traver stops by Studio 1A to share his French-inspired recipes for olive oil-poached halibut over herbed couscous and a Dry January-friendly apple cider mocktail.
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>>> WE ARE BACK WITH “TODAY FOOD.” THIS MORNING WE WILL DISH UP FRENCH INSPIRED AMERICAN CUISINE. >> THE EXECUTIVE CHEF IN RICHFIELD, CONNECTICUT. TODAY HE IS FILLING UP THEIR SIGNATURE DISH. IT IS HALIBUT, YUM. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. I ADMITTED TO YOU I HAVE NEVER
TRIED THIS. THIS IS NEW. >> YES. NICE LOW AND SLOW. WE WANT THE OIL AT 150 DEGREES, NOT TOO HOT. >> YOU CAN USE A CANDY THERMOMETER. INFUSE THAT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. >> CAN YOU PUT ANY FLAVORS YOU WANT. >> YES.
>> HOW LONG DO YOU LET THAT WHATEVER? >> ABOUT 20 MINUTES. THEN WE WILL COME OVER HERE AND SEASON THE HALIBUT. >> HOW FAR AHEAD SHOULD YOU SALT AND SEASON? >> AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. WE LIKE TO LET THE SALT PERMEATE INTO THE FISH. >> AND NO SKIN?
>> NO SKIN, YEAH. >> I DIDN’T KNOW THAT, ACTUALLY. SO LET THAT SIT THERE. AFTER 15 MINUTES, DAB THE MOISTURE OFF, AND THEN WE’LL JUST POP IT IN. YOU CAN USE A FISH SPATULA, TOO. >> HOW DO YOU GET IT SO BREEZY? >> IT STARTS COOKING IN THE OIL.
>> HOW LONG WILL IT STAY IN THERE? >> IT’S 10 MINUTES. MAKE SURE THE OIL COVERS OVER THE TOP. SO WE ALSO DO SOME ROASTING WITH IT. CUT IT INTO WEDGES. WE LIKE TO PAIR IT DOWN AT THE RESTAURANT. HERE WE WILL HAVE THE BRAISE AND LIQUID FOR THAT.
BASICALLY, WINE AND WATER. PUT A LITTLE SALT. >> IN HERE? >> SALT. FENNEL SEEDS, BACK PEPPER, BAY LEAFS, THYME. PUT GARLIC AND USE WHATEVER YOU WANT. AND THEN YOU JUST POP THE WEDGES IN THERE. MAKE SURE THAT THE CORE STAYS IN SO IT STAYS TOGETHER.
BUT THAT’S THE FUN PART. >> NOW JUST THE SAUCE? >> YEAH. SO THIS IS THE SAUCE. IT’S WHITE WINE REDUCTION WITH, AGAIN, KIND OF THE USUAL SUSPECTS. THYME, GARLIC, BLACK PEPPER. STRAIN IT OUT AND ADD A LITTLE CREAM TO KEEP IT EMULSIFIED. TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
>> I KNOW. YOU JUST SAID THYME. WHAT WERE THE OTHER THINGS YOU PUT IN THERE? >> BAY LEAF, GARLIC, BLACK PEPPER. >> ADD THE CREAM SLOWLY. >> IT HELPS TO EMULSIFY IT. IF IT BREAKS, IT WILL BE GREASY. SO YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
YOUR BUTTER IS COLD. ADD IT IN A FEW TABS AT A TIME AND WHISK SLOWLY. >> I TOLD YOU MY GOAL WAS TO WAIT FOR HIM TO BE FINISHED, BUT I CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER. >> EMULSIFY THE BUTTER IN. BASICALLY, IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE.
YOU CAN TAKE YOUR TIME. YOU WANT TO TOUCH THE POT ON THE SIDES, NOT TOO HOT. >> WHAT ABOUT THIS LAST PART HERE? >> WE’LL JUST FINISH OFF THE DISH WITH A LITTLE ROASTED FENNEL. WE LIKE TO ROAST IN A LITTLE BUTTER AT THE RESTAURANT AFTER
WE BRAISE IT. >> THIS IS QUINOA. >> COUSCOUS WE START WITH. WE TAKE THE SHRIMP FROM THAT. >> THAT LOOKS REALLY GOOD. >> YEAH. AND THEN WE MAKE AN HERBS COUSCOUS SALAD WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT HERBS IN THERE.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING DRY JANUARY. SO YOU HAVE AN APPLE CIDER JANUARY. >> WE’RE DOING A MOCKTAIL MENU FOR DRY JANUARY. APPLE CIDER, GINGER BEER AND LIME BEER. >> APPLE CIDER? >> GINGER BEER AND LIME JUICE. >> YUM!
>> GO AHEAD AND TRY THAT. >> THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE HAVE TO COME. WE’LL ALL COME WITH WILLIE GEIST. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. BY THE WAY, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES AND MORE ON TODAY.COM/FOOD. THIS IS DELICIOUS, BOTH OF THEM.
WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK.