Dinner, Sunday, June 13, 2010

• Grilled halibut
• Asparagus risotto with saffron
• Butter lettuce and romaine salad with french radishes, avocado and red onion

There is a platonic ideal of halibut that Mario and I always invoke as a benchmark. We cooked and ate it several years ago when we were vacationing in Yachats. We bought it from the fishmonger in town who bought directly from the local fishermen. We grilled it with nothing but a little olive oil, salt and pepper. It was almost ethereal--slightly gelatinous, tender, with the pure almost fishless halibut flavor of the sea. It had a very slightly pink tinge like the lightest pink inside a seashell. Absolutely gorgeous.

Well, last night's came as close as any we've had. It was a promising specimen when we bought it at the farmer's market--almost two inches thick and with that beautiful pink tinge. Cooked it
the same way--not too hot of a grill, olive oil, salt and pepper. Took it off before it was cooked through--about 12 minutes total. Amazing.

I made a risotto to go alongside. Tiny slender asparagus, some saffron, lemon zest, parmesan. And Mario put together a delicious salad.

And on the second of TWO CONSECUTIVE sunny days, with temperatures above 75℉. Hooray.