Quick Before I Forget

     I just whipped an amazing dinner tonight.  It was partially inspired by the season:  the chanterelles are in the store, and I adore chanterelles.  There is also the pressure from the refrigerator, namely in the form of a huge bag of spinach from the CSA.   Gotta move the veggies.
     It's been a bit of a cooking madhouse around here:  I harvested the rest of the tomatoes on the vine, and, as they are green, they were destined for the canning pot.  That is another story, but suffice it so say that I spent the last 2 evenings cranking out double recipes of green tomato chow chow.  I feel confident that I have gotten THAT out of my system now.  To the tune of 18 pints, I should hope so.  I will be using them to barter with my friend Bess for other canned items.  As she donated some of the tomatoes used in this extravaganza, that seems rational.
      But when the canning was done, I needed to eat!  This meal would be rejected by my veggie phobic daughter.  However, I believe my sister would find it ideal:  there are no onions, for one.  The ingredients are nearly all part of her Alaskan hunting/gathering accessible roster.  Karen tells me of her forays into the woods for chanterelles, which generates more than a fair amount of jealousy, I admit.  I found myself channelling her while I made this, thinking she would also enjoy this recipe.
     So quick!  Before I forget how I threw it together, here it is.  I started off with the memory of a recipe from Fine Cooking, where there is a mushroom sauce with white fish, but I switched things out a bit, and added some more.  Basically, this is a mushroom saute that doubles as the steaming base for halibut, and is served over a bed of spinach.  The sauce then also infuses the spinach, doing double duty for the fish and the spinach.  It's a fairly simple recipe, but the fish and mushrooms lend an air of elegance to it all.  This dish is fancy enough for company, or for one post-canning person.

Halibut and Chanterelles with Spinach

(I will gladly solicit bids for a better title)

Serves 2-3

1 1/4 lb halibut, cut into 2-3 pieces

Salt and pepper

3T butter

3 c chanterelles, wiped clean, trimmed and cut into large pieces

1 T minced garlic

1/2 c white wine or vermouth

3T heavy cream

1 lb spinach

3T minced parsley

Pat the halibut dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper, set aside.  

Melt butter in a saute pan just large enough to accomodate the halibut.  Add the mushrooms, a pinch of salt, and saute 5 min, until tender.  Add the garlic and wine, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 1 min.  Add the halibut, scoop the mushrooms and sauce over the fish, then cover the pan, bring to a simmer and reduce.  Watch carefully, so as not to overcook the fish.  It will take about 5 min.  

Meanwhile, rinse and coarsely chop the spinach, and then steam in a pot with 2-3T water until just wilted (about 3-5 min).  Drain any extra moisture (or remove with tongs). 

When the fish is done, pour the cream over the top, and sprinkle with parsley.  Serve the fish and mushrooms plus sauce over the spinach and enjoy!