GREAT BIG HALIBUT PIE
RHUBARB GALETTE
Creamy in texture and delicate in flavour, this is a fishy version of shepherd’s pie. Loaded with fresh halibut and a mix of early spring and late winter goodies, it is the perfect pie for the changing of the seasons. Serves 10
I love the casualness of a galette. It’s not as tricky as a double-crust pie and the rustic look is very forgiving of spills and tears in the pastry. Plus the open centre makes a great showcase for the ruby rhubarb. A hidden layer of honey-infused cream cheese creates a luxurious sweet counterpoint to the tart rhubarb. Serves 10
3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped 6 cups homogenized milk 1 rutabaga or 2 turnips, peeled and chopped 2 lbs halibut or 1 lb halibut and 1 lb smoked fish* 1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced 1/2 cup butter 2 to 3 leeks, sliced 1/3 cup flour 1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro 1 Tbsp spicy mustard (Try Myres Island Gourmet Mustard) Plenty of chopped fresh thyme 4 hard cooked eggs cut into quarters Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain well, then mash. Stir in about a 1/2 cup milk to moisten and season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, bring remaining milk just to a simmer. Add rutabaga. Cover and simmer until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add fish and fennel; simmer until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain liquid into a large measuring cup and set veggies and fish aside. Melt butter in Dutch oven (don’t need to clean) over medium heat. When foamy, add leeks. Sauté until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in milky liquid a little at a time to form a smooth sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, mustard and thyme. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Crumble fish into chunky pieces and place in a large casserole dish. Add veggies and eggs, then pour sauce over top. Gently stir to mix as best you can. Spoon mashed potatoes overtop – be sure it reaches sides of dish. Using the tines of a fork, rough up the mashed topping. Drizzle with a little melted butter, if you wish, and bake in preheated 400F oven until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. *With a possible reduction in quotas this year, halibut may be more expensive. To make this pie more budget savvy, use a mix of fish. Try halibut cheeks instead of pricy fillets. When in season, use scallops or spot prawns. Asparagus 101 Choose straight stalks with tight, bright green tips. Snip bottom ends and if stalks are thick, use a peeler to remove tough strings. Refrigerate upright (a wide-mouth mason jar works well) with a little water in the bottom. Cover with a plastic and store up to 4 or 5 days. For salads, blanche in boiling water, then dunk in ice water to cool quickly and maintain colour.
Pastry
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground nutmeg 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes 4 to 5 Tbsp water Filling 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature 1 egg 1/4 cup honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 large bunch rhubarb stalks (about 1 1/2 lbs) 1/3 cup honey 2 tbsp cornstarch 2 Tbsp butter, melted Pinches of coarse sugar (optional) In a bowl, using a fork, stir flour with salt and nutmeg. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter to form coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water overtop and stir with a fork. Once mixture starts to come together, useyour hands to gently form into a ball of dough. Pat into a disk, then wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling. Preheat oven to 400F. Beat cheese until smooth. Stir in honey, then egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir rhubarb with 1/3 cup honey and cornstarch as best you can – it will be very sticky. Roll out dough to form a large circle – about 14 inches. Don’t worry if edges are uneven. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (pastry will overhang edges of sheet). Scrape cheese mixture into centre of pastry and spread to within 2 inches of the edge. Arrange rhubarb overtop. Fold the edge halfway over the filling, pleating and crimping as you go. Brush dough with a little melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Place in oven and reduce temperature to 375F. Bake until pastry is golden and fruit is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For extra sweetness and a little shine, drizzle more honey over rhubarb centre while it’ s fresh out of the oven and still warm. Dish up with yogurt or whipped cream.
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EAT MAGAZINE MARCH | APRIL 2011
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