Pan Seared Halibut with Caponata

[Jim and Amy Matis]

Amy had this dish for lunch at Cafe Milano in Georgetown, so we created our version at home on the Sully.
Caponata
Slice and dice the following into 1/4 to 1/2 cubes
1 Eggplant
2 Leeks
2 Zucchini
1- Roasted Red Pepper (skin removed)
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar (dense good stuff such as Saporosa)
Sea Salt, Pepper
Chicken stock - 2 cups
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Heat a large saute pan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add leeks and cook to they begin to soften. Add zucchini and continue cooking until zucchini starts to mildly color, add eggplant. Add salt and pepper to taste.(You may need to add additional olive oil to keep everything from sticking) When eggplant begins to soften add roasted red pepper. Add chicken stock an let simmer and reduce so that mixture begins to tighten. Pay attention as you will not want the caponata to soften too much. Remove caponata from heat and set aside

Fish
Two 6- 8 ounce pieces of halibut about 3/4 - 1" thick.
Salt and pepper
Clarified butter (This is readily available at most markets now)
1 teaspoon of sugar
Pan searing flour

Make sure to remove fish from refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees ( and go ahead and place your plates into warm up-they won't break)
Pat halibut dry and season both sides with salt and pepper, sprinkle lightly with sugar and pan searing flour
Place saute pan on fairly high flame, wait till pan warms and add about tablespoon of clarified butter.
When butter starts to sizzle, add halibut filets and sear about 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Flip the halibut and reduce flame slightly. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes. (remove plates from oven now)

Remove halibut from pan and place on sizzle platter or cooking sheet. Add dollop of butter to top of each halibut piece. Place in oven for 3-5 minutes, during this time reheat the caponata adding about a tablespoon of butter into to mixture. Remove halibut from oven

Place circle of caponata in center of plate (use a mold-it's easy) and rest halibut on top of caponata. Drizzle perimeter of caponata circle with balsamic vinegar, and fine olive oil. Sprig of thyme to finish the plate will do it. Enjoy. A mildly sweet aromatic Moscato di Asti works suprisingly well with this dish