Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Asparagus Sauce

• Recipe by Richard Reddington and Chris Blanchard

Chef Way A foamed prosciutto emulsion tops roasted halibut.
Easy Way Instead of using prosciutto to make a foam, simply wrap the rich, salty-sweet meat around the fish before roasting.

Ingredients

1. 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 4 scallions, thinly sliced
3. 1 pound asparagus, spears sliced 1/2 inch thick, tips reserved separately
4. 1 cup water
5. 1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper
7. 8 thin slices of prosciutto
8. 4 skinless halibut fillets (about 5 ounces each)
9. 8 small sage leaves, halved lengthwise
10. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add the scallions and cook over low heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the asparagus spears and the water and cook until tender and the water is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Puree the mixture in a blender until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and keep warm.
2. Arrange the prosciutto slices in pairs, overlapping them slightly. Place a halibut fillet in the center of the prosciutto and top each fillet with 2 sage leaves. Season with salt and pepper and wrap the prosciutto around the fish.
3. In a large ovenproof skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the olive oil. Add the halibut and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fish and add the asparagus tips to the skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast the prosciutto-wrapped halibut for 5 minutes.
4. Spoon the asparagus-spinach puree onto plates. Arrange the prosciutto-wrapped halibut and asparagus tips alongside and serve immediately.

Notes

Sommelier Choice A precise and min-erally white, like the 2005 Pierre Gaillard St-Joseph Blanc.
Easy-to-Find Choice 2005 E. Guigal Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc.