The thing is, we weren’t planning on halibut for dinner. But sometimes that is the way things go when you get to the grocery store and they don’t have what you had planned.
In most cases, that isn’t too complicated a switch but, for this meal, we were planning on cooking and wine pairing together with Susan and Towny in New Hampshire via zoom. I made a quick call to Susan from the seafood counter to let her know our planned protein was unavailable, and to make sure Towny hadn’t yet left for their fish monger.
I rattled off the options displayed in front of me. I got to the halibut and I could hear in her voice that this was the one, the choice substitute. Remembering a grilled grouper I made years ago, I suggested some herbs and lavender buds to give it a Provençal feel. We were on our way to a newly-planned meal.
The wine is really interesting, as it is made by Château Sainte Roseline with input from Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue. Until this, I had no idea of the breadth of her talents! The wine is a really good rosé, and I’m happy to report that the next vintage released (2022) will be available in the United States. You can read about it on the Provence WineZine.
~ David
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John / Kitchen Riffs
June 4, 2022 at 8:16 amZoom coo;king with distant friends is such a nice idea. And when it comes to fish, halibut is always a wonderful choice. particularly at this time of the year (haven’t shopped for fish for a few weeks, but I assume fresh Alaskan halibut is available). And now that I’m thinking about being fish-deprived, I need to remedy that situation. Preferably with this dish — really a wonderful preparation. Really, really good stuff — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 4, 2022 at 8:43 amIt really is, John — I’ve been tempted to suggest some of us bloggers do it! And, yes, it was fresh Alaskan halibut — so good!
Gerlinde
June 4, 2022 at 8:18 amIt looks like you are having fun via Zoom . My husband is the grill Meister in our house and your Halibut looks wonderful. I will show him the recipe when I get home. We are grilling German sausages tonight in my village with some healthy salads. I made a watermelon salad, let’s see if they like it .
Cocoa & Lavender
June 4, 2022 at 8:44 amThanks, Gerlinde! I hope the grill Meister approves! And I hope your friends like the watermelon salad. When we were in Mittenwald, I think we ate Weißwurst almost every day.
Fran @ G'day Souffle
June 4, 2022 at 3:22 pmWow, Kylie Monogue? I haven’t heard of her in years and it’s good to see she is still ‘alive and kicking’! What an interesting concept of adding lavender buds to a fish dish. I usually associate lavender with sweet dishes but sounds like something I gotta try!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2022 at 1:58 amI find lavender adds nicely to savory dishes — I hope you give it a try, Fran!
Eha
June 4, 2022 at 4:23 pmHave yet to experience a Zoom dinner . . . but, how delightful ! Love the look of your dish but, sadly, halibut is not available in Australia – flounder, oft also difficult to access being suggested as a substitute here. Do like your method of preparation and shall tr the same on some other offering from the sea. Kylie Minogue . . . no, was not aware of her talents in this regard either. She just returned Down Under recently well-and-truly ‘alive’ and active . . . . heavens, why not !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2022 at 2:01 amI’m sure you have some good, firm white fish that would work. It’s one of the conundrums we have in globs; blogging — availability of our ingredients! I love that Kylie is doing this with wine — she has significant talents!
Susan Manfull
June 4, 2022 at 5:11 pmThis seemingly ordinary seafood meal is far from it….simple, yes but ordinary, no! There was something about that combo of flavors — including the pinch of Piment d’Espelette — that transformed this halibut to something heavenly. Our potatoes and asparagus were exceptionally fresh and, cooked simply, made great partners with the halibut. And then the wine — a beautiful rosé from Provence. Chateau Sainte Roseline, to be specific, produced this very appealing rosé with input from the famous singer about the final blend!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2022 at 2:03 amIt was a lot of fun, Susan — and I am glad I made that last minute addition of the Piment d’Espelette! A little zing went so nicely with the wine. We look forward to our next dinner with you and Towny — in person or virtual!
sherry M
June 5, 2022 at 3:32 amI’ve never had halibut! Not an aussie fish. And I’m feeling guilty about eating fish – esp. salmon these days. such an unsustainable fish. The way it’s farmed anyway. Enough of that – your dish sounds great! Lovely idea to zoom cook!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2022 at 9:56 amWe are lucky to have access to good wild salmon, and a variety of other good fish. Zoom cooking is fun, actually — puts one on one’s toes to be able to get a meal done simultaneously with another household. Another zoom dinner recipe is coming next week!
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
June 5, 2022 at 7:15 amI haven’t used halibut in a while, but as yours looks so succulent and tasty – I’m wondering why!
I have some Herbs de Provence mix, that also includes a small amount of lavender buds, which add such a nice twist to it. It looks like a halibut dish is on the horizon! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2022 at 10:01 amI think the cooking method really helped keep it moist… it was a combination of grill/bake, really. There is lavender in most herbes de Provence and it takes on a very different herbal note. Let me know what you think!
Chef Mimi
June 5, 2022 at 8:44 amHuh. I’ve never thought about zoom cooking! Now I have to teach my husband how to cook, plus find two other people who do…. Nah, I’ll just keep cooking by myself!!! Great looking halibut, but you know, I’m odd, cause I just can’t mix flowers in savory food. I’ve never even bought herbes de Provence if there’s lavender in it. Just can’t do it.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 5, 2022 at 10:02 amIt’s funny because you mix fruit and savory all the time — and, yes, it is hidden in your herbes de Provence!
Valentina
June 6, 2022 at 2:37 pmLove that you do so many zoom dinner parties. So fun! Seems like choosing a substitute worked out very well. What a delicious looking dish this is. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
June 6, 2022 at 5:44 pmYou know, when we started zoom dinners and zoomtails, it was about not being able to see our close and local friends; then we thought, why not do this with our distant friends and family? We don’t need a pandemic to see them all! It’s really fun.
Valentina
June 16, 2022 at 11:47 amLove that!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
June 7, 2022 at 12:44 pmNow that looks like a lovely meal that I might have had while living in New England where everything would have been so very fresh. Looks delicious.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 9, 2022 at 7:40 amThanks, Karen — and I think you have some really lovely fresh produce that makes the rest of us in the country a bit jealous!
Jeff the Chef
June 8, 2022 at 6:28 amThis fish dish sounds delicious. You do such elegant platings!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 9, 2022 at 7:41 amThanks Jeff — and here I almost didn’t post the plating because I found it a bit dull.
2pots2cook
June 9, 2022 at 1:49 amLove zoom cooking gathering and love the dish, needless to say! Thank you so much!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 9, 2022 at 7:42 amThanks, Davorka — you are so kind!
Raymund
June 16, 2022 at 2:37 amI actually never tried Zoom Cooking and Zoom Dinners, sounds like a fun exercise to do with far away friends you havent met for a while. Thanks for this awesome idea
Cocoa & Lavender
June 16, 2022 at 7:44 amZooming is really fun – and actually pretty easy. The trick is making sure both ends are prepared and that the recipes are easy and quick enough to be made in a short period of time.
John
July 3, 2022 at 2:56 amYour Zoom cooking sounds like so much fun and I can see you’re really loving it. A lovely meal you made this time, David. I adored halibut every time I ate it in the UK and US. It’s not something you see down here much at all.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:43 amUntil I wrote this post, I had no idea that halibut was only found here in this area of the world. It’s a great fish, John, but imagine you have some really good ones that you could use at substitutes.
Christina Conte
July 20, 2022 at 6:11 pmDelizioso! I love halibut, and what a fun thing to do (I know you do it a lot) with the zoom dinner! If people were doing this instead sitting in front of the tv, I think the world would be a much better place!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 8:00 amI agree wholeheartedly! I love doing them occasionally — it’s a great way to connect with this far away!