Gloria’s secret recipe for Champagne Beurre Blanc Sauce

BY GLORIA WOLF, FOODIE AND MPH| May, 10th, 2024

If you have been to the beautiful Northwest of this country you are spoiled by the readily available fresh halibut.  For the Chef’s Table on Wednesday May 8, we were spoiled by the Chef with the parmesan crusted halibut served with a citrus beurre Blanc and all the other delicious items served on the menu.

The meal started with an apple cranberry quinoa salad with a light citrus vinaigrette. The Rickshaw Sauvignon Blanc was especially light and crisp and a great accompaniment. Not being a big fan of quinoa, it was good to see that the salad had a little across the top of the bed of romaine lettuce. The slightly sweet cranberries and apples contrasting with the chopped pecans made a delicate flavor balance that was not overpowering.

Parmesan Crusted Halibut

The generous halibut portion was served over a creamy lemon garlic orzo. For color, blistered cherry tomatoes surrounded the entrée. All the components of this meal were light. The lemon, the parmesan, and the garlic were not dominant flavors. Instead, we enjoyed a harmonious fusion of tastes, along with the halibut. If you are not a big fan of fish, halibut is a great choice because it is firm and flaky with no hint of “fishy” taste. The entrée was served with a Rickshaw pinot noir, but I stayed with the Sauvignon Blanc as it suited the entire meal.

The lemon and citrus theme carried through to the dessert, a lemon cake topped with a swirl of raspberry coulis. The coulis (pronounced koo-LEE) refers to a thin fruit puree used as a topping or sauce. In addition to the contrasting raspberry flavor, the coulis adds a burst of color.

For those of you who would like to make your own sauce, try this Champagne Beurre Blanc sauce for two.

Champagne Beurre Blanc Sauce

• 1 cup Champagne or dry white wine
• 1 large shallot, peeled and diced
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• ¼ tsp whole black peppercorns
• Fresh squeezed juice from half a lime, half a lemon and half an orange.
• 1 stick of butter, cut in small chunks at room temperature
• Salt and ground white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce by half and set the heat to low. If you prefer, filter out the shallots and peppercorns and return the liquid to the pan. Slowly whisk in butter until fully incorporated. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Serve over fish or vegetables.