# Sous Vide Halibut with Truffle-Buttered Spring Vegetables and White Truffles > Pearly halibut sits over asparagus, sweet peas, and little potatoes glazed in truffle butter. Fresh white truffle shavings bloom in the warmth of the fish, while a small squeeze of lemon keeps the buttery spring vegetables bright. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/sous-vide-halibut-with-spring-hodgepodge-and-shaved-white-truffle - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2022-04-13 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Sous Vide Halibut with Truffle-Buttered Spring Vegetables and White Truffles](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F9d672b7a1dc7634f.jpg) ## Sous Vide Halibut Gentle, controlled cooking keeps lean halibut moist and tender. Leaving it unseared preserves its delicate flavor and gives the fresh truffle a quiet backdrop. ### Ingredients - 4 portions skinless halibut, about 6 oz each and approximately 1 inch thick - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 3/4 tsp fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Heat a sous vide bath to 130°F / 54.5°C. 2. Check the halibut for pin bones, pat dry, and season evenly with the salt. 3. Place the portions in a single layer in suitable cooking bags with the olive oil. Seal gently without compressing the fish; keep the bags refrigerated until the bath is ready. 4. Submerge and cook for 45–60 minutes for portions approximately 1 inch thick. The flesh should be pearly and just beginning to separate into moist flakes. 5. Open the bags immediately before serving. Lift out the fish with a broad spatula and gently blot away excess surface moisture. Do not sear. ### Notes - This low-temperature preparation is not a pasteurization process. Use properly handled fish and serve immediately; for higher-risk diners, cook the fish to an internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C instead. - Thicker portions require a longer heating time; use evenly cut, approximately 1-inch-thick pieces for the timing given. ## Truffle-Buttered Spring Vegetable Hodgepodge Cooking the potatoes separately lets them become creamy without overcooking the greens. A little vegetable cooking water emulsifies the truffle butter into a light glaze rather than a heavy pool of fat. ### Ingredients - 12 oz small new potatoes, halved if larger than bite-size - 1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces - 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, cut crosswise into large pieces - 1/2 cup shelled English peas - 3 spring onions or large scallions, whites thinly sliced and greens cut into 1-inch pieces - 4 tbsp gluten-free truffle butter made with real truffles, chilled and cubed - 1/3 cup reserved vegetable cooking water, plus more as needed - 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste - to taste fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and salt lightly. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 12–18 minutes, until a small knife slides through easily. Drain and keep warm. 2. Meanwhile, bring a second pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 2–3 minutes, adding the snap peas and shelled peas for the final 1–2 minutes. The vegetables should be bright green and crisp-tender. Reserve some cooking water, then drain. If preparing ahead, chill the greens in ice water and drain thoroughly. 3. In a wide sauté pan, combine the spring onion whites with 1/3 cup reserved cooking water. Cover and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, until softened without browning. 4. Add the potatoes, green vegetables, and spring onion greens. Toss over medium-low heat just until everything is hot. 5. Lower the heat to its minimum setting and add the cold truffle butter a few cubes at a time, swirling and tossing to make a glossy glaze. Do not boil after adding the butter. 6. Add the lemon juice and taste for salt. Loosen with a spoonful of warm cooking water if needed; the vegetables should be coated with a little sauce collecting underneath. ### Notes - Truffle butter varies in salt and intensity, so adjust seasoning only after it has melted into the vegetables. - Keep the lemon restrained: enough to brighten the butter, not enough to obscure the truffle. ## Fresh White Truffle Shavings Thin slices release their aroma on contact with the warm fish. Adding them only at the table keeps their fragrance intact. ### Ingredients - 10–15 g fresh white truffle, gently cleaned and dried ### Instructions 1. Just before serving, brush away any remaining soil from the truffle. If a brief rinse is necessary, dry it immediately and thoroughly. 2. Use a truffle slicer or very sharp mandoline to shave thin slices directly over each portion of warm halibut. ### Notes - Buy from a reputable supplier and use promptly; fresh truffle aroma fades quickly. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The fish cooks unattended while the vegetables are prepared. Finishing the butter glaze at the last moment keeps the greens vivid and the truffle fragrant. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Start heating the sous vide bath. Trim the fish and prepare the vegetables. 2. 0:10 — Bag the halibut and place it in the heated bath; start its 45–60-minute cooking time. 3. 0:20 — Start the potatoes. Blanch the green vegetables while the potatoes simmer. 4. 0:40 — Clean the truffle, set out the slicer, and warm four shallow bowls. 5. 0:50 — Soften the spring onions and rewarm the vegetable medley. When the fish is nearly ready, emulsify in the truffle butter and finish with lemon. 6. 0:55–1:10 — Remove the fish as its cooking time is complete, plate immediately, and shave over the truffle. ## Plating A shallow bowl holds the light butter sauce beneath the vegetables while keeping the fish and truffle prominent. ### Instructions 1. Divide the hot vegetable medley among four warm shallow bowls, making a compact mound in the center. 2. Spoon the remaining truffle-butter glaze around and over the vegetables. 3. Set one halibut portion on each mound and finish with several thin white truffle shavings. Serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Gentle reheating protects the lean fish, while the vegetables can become a simple next-day lunch without needing another rich sauce. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftover fish and vegetables separately in shallow containers within 2 hours; do not store the fish in its sealed sous vide bag. 2. Use the fish within 1 day and the vegetables within 3 days. 3. Warm the vegetables in a covered pan with a splash of water. Flake the fish into large pieces and add near the end, reheating leftovers to 165°F / 74°C; the fish will become firmer than on the first serving. 4. Keep any unused whole truffle refrigerated in an airtight container lined with dry paper towel, change the towel daily, and use as soon as possible. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.