Pan-fried halibut with chanterelles by Carina Contini

There are hundreds of ways to cooks both chanterelles and halibut, but pan-frying is the simplest. This simple but delicious meal is perfect for a spring evening. 
This recipe is taken from Carina Contini’s Kitchen Garden Cookbook. 
For more information visit www.contini.com

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 x 200g halibut steaks, bone in
Plain flour, for dusting
Salt
Light olive oil, for frying 
200g chanterelles 
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 dried red chilli
A small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

To serve:
Salad leaves
2 wedges of unwaxed lemon 

Method
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Wash and dry the halibut with kitchen paper and set aside. Sieve some flour onto a large plate and season with a little salt. Put at least 5mm of light olive oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Dip the halibut in the flour to coat it lightly on all sides. Shake off any loose flour and gently place the fish in the hot oil. When the oil is hot, the halibut should sizzle but the oil should not spark.
2 Very gently move the halibut in the pan to prevent it from sticking. Fry for about three minutes, depending on the thickness. The underside should be golden but not brown. Very carefully turn the fish over and continue cooking. It will be cooked when you can easily remove the flesh from the central bone. 
3 Remove the halibut from the pan, place it on a baking tray and keep it warm in the preheated oven while you fry the chanterelles. 
4 Ensure all the chanterelles are clean. Use a sharp knife to scrape off any moss or earth, then gently wipe them with a damp kitchen cloth. Don’t wash them, as this will make them too wet and they will go mushy when cooked. 
5 Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and crush in the chilli. Fry for a few minutes to release the flavours but don’t let the garlic brown. Add the chanterelles and increase the heat. Fry very quickly, keeping the pan moving so they cook evenly. Season with salt and add the parsley. Cook for another few seconds until the chanterelles are al dente. 
6 Serve hot with the pan-fried halibut, a few salad leaves and a big wedge of lemon. 

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