Cooking with fresh seafood this week has really helped me figure out the flow of my new kitchen. Which in turn has rekindled my culinary fire -- I have been having fun cooking again! We all go through slumps; writers get block, ball players strike out and chefs loose their heat. Fortunately mine is on fire again due to some great ingredients and the Summer’s sun.

Since I was in such a good culinary mood and wanted to keep it rolling, I stopped in Sobeys on my way home to have a peek in the seafood service case. There right up front was some freshly cut Atlantic halibut steaks, I was sold. Vivian picked out two really nice steaks and wrapped them up for me while I grabbed a box of Compliments Sensations Snow Crab Cakes and a pair of cedar planks. I just bought a new BBQ on the weekend and have been dying to plank some great fish on it ever since, and the halibut would be perfect. Burgers are fun and all, but there is so much more to grilling!

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as Jana and I did tonight! Using the snow crab cakes as a crust on the fish is a great little trick you should also try on salmon, veal chops, oysters or steak, trust me. Slicing the potatoes nice and thin helps them to finish cooking the same time as the halibut; I love it when a plan comes together.

Happy Cooking!
Chef Ryan Skelton

Cedar Planked Pesto Potatoes and Cedar Planked Snow Crab Capped Halibut
Makes 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes

Cedar Planked Pesto Potatoes
3 cups (750 mL) sliced Compliments Yellow Petites Potatoes [1]
1 ½ tbsp (23 mL) Compliments Pure Olive Oil [2]
1/12 tbsp (23 mL) Compliments Pesto Sauce [3]
Pinch each sea salt and pepper
1 Compliments Cedar Grilling Plank [4], soaked for 2 or more house

Cedar Planked Snow Crab Capped Halibut
2 halibut steaks
4 Compliments Sensations Snow Crab Cakes [5], defrosted
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped Compliments Fresh Parsley [6] (flat leaf)
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped Compliments Fresh Chives [7]
1 tbsp (15 mL) Compliments Pure Olive Oil [8]
Pinch each sea salt and pepper
1 Compliments Cedar Grilling Plank [9], soaked for 2 or more house

Tomato Salad
1 ½ cups (375 mL) halved grape tomatoes
1 tbsp (15 mL) Compliments Extra Virgin Olive Oil [10]
1 tbsp (15 ml) Compliments Sensations Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena [11]
Pinch flaked sea salt

Cedar Planked Pesto Potatoes

1. Pre-heat your grill to medium high heat and close the lid.
2. Toss the sliced potatoes, pesto, and ½ tbsp (8 mL) of the olive oil together in a bowl with sea salt and pepper to taste. Lightly oil the cedar plank and arrange the sliced potatoes on the board in rows slightly over lapping. Set aside while you prepare the halibut.

Cedar Planked Snow Crab Capped Halibut

3. Crumble the defrosted snow crab cakes in a mixing bowl, add the parsley chives and season lightly with sea salt and pepper.
4. Season the halibut steaks lightly with sea salt and pepper, set them on a plate and top evenly with the snow crab cake mixture.
5. Lightly oil the plank with the olive oil and set the empty halibut plank and the prepared potato plank on the grill. Close the lid, reduce the heat to medium and wait for smoke.
6. Once you see and smell the cedar smoke, carefully set the prepared halibut steak on the empty cedar plank, close the lid and continue to cook for 20-25 minutes, or until it is just cooked through.
7. Remove the planks from the grill and set them on a metal tray with a touch of water to extinguish any smouldering embers underneath. Let rest for 2-3 minuets.

Tomato Salad

8. Combine the halved tomatoes in a bowl with the olive oil and vinegar. Season with the flaked salt and toss well.
9. Serve the halibut, potatoes and tomato salad together on a plate and enjoy.

Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
Energy: 480 (kcal)
Protein: 53 g
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 105 mg
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Fibre: 2 g
Sodium: 440 mg
Potassium: 1450 mg