Hanging out at the Dairy

Hanging out at the Dairy
Darci(far left) & the Wrights at the Creamery

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Chillaxing on the patio

"Chillaxing" isn't really a word but a feeling, a state of mind for my 8 year old son.
He describes this vibe as both "relaxing" and "chillin' out". I agree completely! (Word! or "for reals" is a proper response, FYI)

We LOVE our chillaxing time together as it is a precious commodity in our busy lives.  What better way celebrate this new mantra than to watch/listen the NBA playoffs game, Dad and son play catch in the backyard while Mom (me) grills some fresh Halibut?!
This GORGEOUS and super fresh Halibut (caught by our friend/neighbor Laura) just the day before, needs very little done to it...some farm butter rubbed on it's surface, some fresh sliced ginger, garlic and leeks on top and a squeeze or two of fresh lemon, fresh ground sea salt and pepper. *Note, be nice to your neighbors...they might be fisherman!**

Onto a pre-heated grill, mine is propane for ease. The flame is on medium high to sear and the lid goes down for 5-8 minutes before checking for doneness.
I flipped mine over using some fantastic long stainless spatulas (shown in the picture of the finished halibut) from Sur La Table. The long surface and using two simultaneously takes some wrangling but keeps the fish in one piece if all goes as planned! I let the fish finish grilling on top of the leeks, garlic and ginger as they come off when turned over. This bed of aromatics continue to lightly infuse their flavors into the grilling fish. This side took about another 4-5 minutes. I look for the middle to become slightly opaque, the juices on top of the filet to run clear and the fish starts to flake apart slightly.
I served this with some pan seared baby bok choy. I used my heavy bottomed skillet, very hot, with about 3 tablespoons of canola oil and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil for flavor.  To the hot pan, I placed 6 baby bok choy rinsed and cut in half, cut side down and placed a lid over the pan. The cooking process sears and steams, so only takes about 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of your bok choy and how seared you like them. We prefer medium sear and still very firm.
 I finished our dinner offering with some light, organic Jasmine Rice steamed with more leek, butter, ginger, lemon and a significant splash of Pinot Grigio (approximately 1/2 cup). We enjoy this rice for it's light, tender and fluffy texture. It also comes in brown form for a slightly nuttier, chewier option.

Please excuse my rudeness, I started diving into the Halibut and realized no picture was taken of my dinner plate! OOPS! Not the best picture of the fish, but it was calling out to me and I was weak...it was fantastic!!

Here's to many more opportunities to chillax together my friends! Ciao for now...

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