Recipe — 20 minutes · serves 2 · Easy
Halibut Cheek Scampi with Lemon and White Wine
Treat cheeks like scallops: seared, then swirled into a garlic-white wine butter with parsley. Serve over pasta or with bread for the sauce.
Buy the fish for this recipe
Ingredients
- —450 g (1 lb) halibut cheeks
- —2 tbsp olive oil
- —4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- —80 ml dry white wine
- —45 g cold butter, cubed
- —Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- —Small handful parsley, chopped
- —Pinch chili flakes (optional)
- —Linguine or crusty bread, to serve
Method
- 01
Season the dried cheeks and sear in the olive oil, 90 seconds a side, then lift them onto a plate.
- 02
Lower the heat, add the garlic and chili flakes and cook 30 seconds — no colour on the garlic.
- 03
Pour in the wine and let it reduce by half, scraping the pan.
- 04
Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time until the sauce is glossy. Add lemon zest and juice.
- 05
Return the cheeks and any resting juices, turn them through the sauce for 30 seconds, and scatter with parsley.
- 06
Toss with linguine or serve as is with bread.
From the counter: Cold butter, off the heat — that's what keeps the sauce creamy instead of split.