There aren't many times I can actually say I helped inspire a recipe for our Foodie Friday segment. Sure I have asked Chef Jill McCoy to create dishes for special occasions or to create a dish because I had a lot of certain ingredient. This recipe is different and here is how.

Chef Jill was about an hour outside of her adopted hometown of Austin Texas and she and I were chatting on the phone. I told her that I was preparing fish for my family that night and I really wanted a different kind of vegetable to go with it.

After bouncing around a few not so inspiring ideas Chef Jill suggested I try carrots. I told her I didn't think discs of carrots would be that appealing to the eye. That's when I learned what that other button on my blender was for.

Why Halibut? Well in Chef Jill's case it's what her fishmonger had available that was the freshest choice. Actually any nice firm flesh fish will do. You probably would go with catfish but something like a snapper or grouper would be good.

Carrots are often maligned and misunderstood because they take us back to a time in our childhood when they were force fed to us by the over-bearing giants we call parents. Carrots are naturally sweet and when prepared the way they are in this recipe the natural sweetness brings out the saltwater freshness of the Halibut.

Peas are another veggie that add a sweet wrinkle to the flavor profile. They also make a delicious contrast to the orange of the carrot and the white flesh of the fish. Then when you bring in shiitake mushrooms your tongue is going to have a field day trying to lap up all the different things that will be going on with your taste buds in every bite.

This dish is so easy to create and it looks very elegant. If you're looking for a great idea for a small dinner gathering or maybe just a date night at home I think you'll be very pleased at how easy this is to make and small amount of time it takes to prepare.

More From 97.3 The Dawg