Make it at Home: Berry Halibut

This Berry Halibut recipe from the 2019 Chef Invitational is probably one of my all-time favorites. Partly because I like the "science experiment" part of making the pearls, and partly because it looks so fancy and professional without even trying.

It seems way more complicated than it is, but when you break it down it's actually pretty easy to tackle. Moms - this is a tasty, fun way to get the kids involved with dinner! 

Here are my hacks for making this family-fun recipe:

The halibut part of the recipe is simple - cook and plate. The berries make the overall flavor of the dish. Not only are they a burst of sweetness, they also add varying textures that really complement the fish without compromising nutrition. My family loves this recipe!

For those of you that are like me and thought, "What's a gastrique?" when looking over this recipe... it's basically caramelized sugar that's deglazed with vinegar and used as a flavoring for sauces. You can easily make this ahead of time and keep in the fridge until ready to use. I think of it as the "secret sauce" to making the flavors pop.

The pearls (aka fruit caviar) are so cool! I did a lot of research on these because I admittedly failed the first couple of times I tried to make them. Chef Christian Kearns used strawberries, ginger, water and sugar to make his version.

After some initial research, I found that the thicker the juice (especially with strawberry pulp and seeds), the harder it is for them to form into pearls. So you really have to water down the strawberry mixture, which takes away from the strawberry flavor a little. Then I tried it with blueberries (which are much thinner than strawberry juice), and it worked really well. 

There are so many ways to use these! People put them on ice cream, yogurt, float in cocktails, or just eat it plain. These would also be a super fun project for kids this summer, because it's essentially a science project. 

Comment below how you make your next "science project" at home!