Halibut with arugula-walnut pesto

One of the first entrées Stacey Hughes created as a professional chef, this dish remains a favorite.

Ingredients

Arugula-walnut pesto
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
2 cups arugula
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup extra light olive oil

Pecorino puddings
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless Italian bread
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 large eggs

Halibut
8 (6-oz.) halibut fillets
1/3 cup extra light olive oil
Kosher salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Chopped tomatoes and lemon zest, for garnish

Instructions

For pesto: In a food processor, chop garlic and walnuts until finely ground. Scrape down bowl and add arugula, cheese and salt. Pulse until arugula is finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until mixture is smooth.

For puddings: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter eight 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes. Coat with breadcrumbs. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Transfer to food processor and puree. Add cheeses and flour. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs in bowl to blend. Divide custard among cups. Place cups in roasting pan. Pour hot water into pan to come 1 inch up sides of cups. Bake puddings until set, about 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Invert onto plates.

For halibut: Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Rinse fillets and pat dry. Place olive oil in a cast iron skillet and heat. Season halibut with salt and pepper. Place halibut skin-side up in skillet and cook until crispy. Carefully remove with fish spatula and place skin-side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes.

To assemble: Place a Pecorino pudding on each plate, halibut on top and drizzle with a spoonful of pesto. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and lemon zest.

Serves 8