Though in some ways quite earthy, with the yellow corn grits and the black trumpet mushrooms, this dish is at thesame time very refined. A drizzle of red wine-corn sauce provides a clean, decisive acidic note that weaves all these full-bodied components together. Adjust the portion size as you see fit to make an appetizer or an entree. If the grits are smoothed out on a baking sheet, then cooled for several hours or overnight, disks or other cut-out shapes can be sauteed into crispy galettes. Don’t hesitate to use beef tenderloin in lieu of the halibut.
ingredients
For the Red Wine-Corn Sauce
For the Grits
For the Mushrooms
For the Halibut
For Assembly
directions
Sauté the corn and shallot in the olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the corn is tender. Add the wine reduction and vinegar; cook for 5 minutes longer. Purée in a blender until smooth, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve. Season to
taste with salt and pepper.
Sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the corn and butter; continue to cook for 5 minutes, or until the corn is tender. Fold in the cooked grits and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place the butter and shallot in a sauté pan and cook over
medium heat until the shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and stock; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the
mushrooms are just tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the mushrooms in half and reserve any pan juices. Finely chop half of the mushrooms.
Heat the grapeseed oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Season the halibut with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through.
Place a spoonful of the grits in the center of each plate. Place a piece of the halibut on top and cover with the finely chopped mushrooms. Spoon the sauce around the grits. Place the
remaining black trumpet mushrooms at 6 points around the sauce. Drizzle the reserved juices from the sauté pan around the grits. Spoon the olive oil around the plate and sprinkle
with the chopped chervil. Top with pepper.
Wine notes:
With the addition of black trumpet mushrooms and a red wine-based sauce, the halibut is given more body and becomes a red wine-friendly dish. Littorai Pinot Noir from the Hirsch
Vineyard is a medium-bodied wine that accents the wine in the corn sauce without dominating the flavor of the halibut. Its red berry and cherry notes provide a fantastic contrast to the
earthy black trumpets.