When you think of poaching, you likely think of poaching eggs, but the process was actually first used to cook fish or chicken. To poach food, you simply place the food in a low-heated liquid -- such as water, broth or wine -- and allow it to cook until done. If you're cooking halibut in wine, you know it's done when it's opaque in the middle and flakes easily with a fork. To get the best flavor out of your halibut, use white wine.
Combine one part white wine with one part chicken stock, a few sprigs of rosemary, two sliced garlic cloves, one sliced shallot and a few pinches of salt and pepper in a container. The amount of poaching liquid you prepare depends on the amount of halibut you have, but you want the liquid to submerge about two-thirds of the halibut when it is in the pan.
Place the halibut fillets in your frying pan, add the poaching liquid, cover the pan and heat it over medium-low.
Wait for the liquid to gently bubble, then reduce the heat to low.
Use your food thermometer to see if the halibut has finished cooking. The internal temperature should be around 145 degree Fahrenheit.
Remove the halibut from the pan, place it on a plate and drizzle some of the poaching liquid over the fish.