← Back to all defeats

Amanda Freitag and Scott Conant

Pan-Seared Halibut with Crispy Fingerlings
S34E2 American · 2023
Where to find them
● @conantnyc

Two Chopped judges against one Iron Chef. The math, again, was not on Bobby's side.

Scott Conant is the man who built Scarpetta, who is famous for the spaghetti tomato basil that became Manhattan's most copied pasta dish of the 2010s, and who now runs Empire Diner in Chelsea and Rise & Thyme in Dallas. Amanda Freitag is the longtime Iron Chef America competitor, Chopped fixture, and former chef at The Harrison and Empire Diner before Conant. They have judged Bobby together on television for fifteen years.

They cooked together against him. Two chefs who know exactly how Bobby cooks, working in concert, brought a tag-team dish that, per the broadcast, was completed before Bobby finished his own. The math, plus the inside read, plus the experience — Bobby was outnumbered three different ways.

More from American →

Pan-Seared Halibut with Crispy Fingerlings

25 min Prep
35 min Cook
4 Serves
Ingredients
  • 4 skin-on halibut fillets, 6 oz each, patted dry
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 lb fresh fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 2 cups fresh snap peas
  • 2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced into wheels
  • 3 tbsp high-quality olive oil
  • 8 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 shallots, minced
Instructions
  1. Season halibut fillets generously on both sides with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper 10 minutes before cooking. Toss fingerling potatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp pepper. Roast at 425°F for 18-20 minutes until golden and crispy.
  2. While potatoes roast, heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When foam subsides and butter reaches 350°F, carefully place halibut skin-side down and sear for 4-5 minutes without moving—skin should render and crisp. Flip and cook 2-3 minutes more until opaque throughout. Transfer to a plate.
  3. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add minced shallots with 1 tbsp butter. Cook 2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Pour in white wine to deglaze, scraping up fond for 90 seconds, then reduce by half (about 2 minutes).
  4. Add sliced garlic and thyme sprigs to the wine reduction and cook 1 minute. Stir in snap peas and cook 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp. Season with remaining 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp pepper. Finish with remaining 1 tbsp cold butter whisked in, plus lemon zest and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
  5. Plate roasted fingerling potatoes as the base, top with crispy halibut skin-side up, spoon the white wine sauce with snap peas and garlic around the fish. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and lemon wheels. Serve immediately while halibut is still warm.
Inspired by Amanda Freitag and Scott Conant’s winning pan-seared halibut with crispy fingerlings. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.
More from American
Neal Fraser
fried chicken sandwich
S2E2 · American · 2014
Victor Albisu
steak and eggs
S3E11 · American · 2015
Sam Marvin
sausage & peppers
S5E2 · American · 2015
Jeanie Roland
mussels frites
S5E10 · American · 2015
← PreviousMichael Voltaggio and Bryan Voltaggio Next →Maneet Chauhan and Zac Young