Halibut Niçoise Recipes

HERB ROASTED ALASKAN HALIBUT WITH FENNEL CONFIT, NICOISE OLIVES, SWEET PEPPERS AND YUKON GOLD POTATOES

Steps:

• Halibut: Season the halibut with salt and pepper. In a medium saute pan over high heat add the oil. Once heated, add the fish and sear until golden brown. Add butter, thyme, and garlic and baste. Set aside.
• Ragout: In a small saucepot combine the butter, fish fume, diced potatoes and simmer over medium heat. Add fennel, tomatoes, olives and basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add a dash of sherry vinegar. Add the roasted peppers and gently warm. Adjust seasoning, if necessary.
• To Plate: In a large bowl place the olive ragout and garnish with the roasted peppers and parsley oil. Place the halibut on top and finish with the scallion.

GRILLED HALIBUT NIçOISE WITH MARKET VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Cook eggs in a large saucepan of boiling water 7 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl of ice water; let cool.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Rub halibut with 2 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, skin side down, until skin is charred and fish is nearly cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Turn and grill just until cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer halibut to a plate and remove skin.
• Toss vegetables with remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender. Time will be different for each vegetable (about 2 minutes for scallions and garlic scapes, 4 minutes for Romano beans, 8-10 minutes for eggplants, 10-15 for potatoes). Transfer to a plate as they are done.
• Carefully peel and halve eggs (yolks will still be a bit loose in the center). Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter and place halibut, grilled vegetables, tomatoes, radishes, and eggs in separate areas on top. Spoon some Green Olive Tapenade over; serve remaining tapenade alongside.

ROASTED NIçOISE SALAD WITH HALIBUT

Steps:

• Place a rimmed baking sheet on center rack of oven; preheat to 450°F.
• Toss potatoes, artichokes, 3 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Arrange in an even layer on preheated sheet and roast, tossing once halfway through, until nicely browned, about 18 minutes.
• Toss green beans, olives, 1 Tbsp. oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt in same bowl. Season fish on both sides with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, then coat with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil.
• Remove baking sheet from oven and push potatoes and artichokes to one side, taking up about a third of pan. Place fish on another third, then bean mixture on remaining third. Roast until fish is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl.
• Flake halibut into pieces and transfer to a platter. Serve with roasted vegetables and sauce alongside. Top with basil.

GRILLED HALIBUT à LA NIçOISE WITH HARICOTS VERTS, OLIVES, CHERRY TOMATOES, AND ANCHOVY BUTTER

Steps:

• Season the halibut with the zest of one lemon, 1 tablespoon thyme, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and cook 30 to 40 minutes, until they're tender when pierced. (Depending on their size, age, and variety, the cooking time will vary.)
• Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes ahead of time. Take the halibut out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking it, so it comes to room temperature.
• Blanch the haricots verts in heavily salted water 2 to 3 minutes, until they're tender but still al dente. Remove to a baking sheet or platter to cool. Bring the water back to a boil, and carefully lower the eggs into the water. Turn the heat down to a very low simmer, and cook the eggs exactly 9 minutes. Remove the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool completely. Peel the eggs, and cut them in half. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the spinach and olives in a large salad bowl.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 1 minute. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil, and add the sliced shallots and remaining tablespoon thyme to the pan. Cook 1 minute, until the shallots are just wilted. Add the haricots verts and the potatoes, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly round pepper.
• When the vegetables are hot, toss them into the bowl of spinach and olives. Season with another 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Toss well to dress the spinach and wilt it slightly. Taste for seasoning. Arrange the salad on a large platter. Tuck the eggs among the spinach leaves.
• Meanwhile, when the coals are broken down, red, and glowing, brush the halibut with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish on the grill, and cook 2 minutes. Give the fish a quarter-turn, and cook a minute or two more. Turn over, and cook until it's just barely cooked through; peek inside to check for doneness. When it's done, the halibut will begin to flake and separate a little, and the center will still be slightly translucent. Remember, the fish will continue to cook a little more once you take it off the grill. Arrange the fish on top of the salad.
• Return the vegetable pan to the stove, and heat over medium-high. Add the butter, and cook a few minutes, until it starts to brown and smells nutty. Add the anchovy, cherry tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and a few grindings of black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, shaking the pan often, until the tomatoes release some of their juice. Squeeze some lemon juice into the butter, and taste for balance and seasoning. Stir in the basil and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley. Spoon the sauce over the fish and around the salad.
• Note
• Season the fish with lemon and herbs early in the day. You can roast the fingerlings, blanch the haricots verts, clean the spinach, cut the cherry tomatoes, clean the anchovies, and cook the eggs ahead of time.

HALIBUT NIçOISE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. In the sink, prepare a bowl full of cold water and ice. Add green beans to the pot and cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and transfer to ice water.
• Add potatoes to the pot of hot water and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Leave the smaller potatoes whole, and halve or quarter any larger ones so they're bite-size.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix olives, anchovy and garlic, and set aside. In a large bowl, mix shallots and rice wine vinegar, and let stand for 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and a few turns of ground black pepper. Drain and add green beans, along with potatoes and tomato wedges, and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Fill a 12-inch skillet with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Crack each egg into a small bowl and fish out any pieces of shell. Slide eggs into the water and poach until white is set and yolk is still soft, about 3 minutes. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon to a bowl of warm water until ready to plate.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large ovenproof skillet, ideally cast iron, over high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Pat the halibut dry with a paper towel and season all over with salt and pepper. Add fillets to hot pan, skin-side down, leaving at least 2 inches between each. (Cook fish in 2 pans or in 2 batches if needed.)
• Let fish cook until it releases easily from the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip fillets, add butter to pan and transfer to the oven. After 2 minutes, baste fish with melted butter, then return to oven until it's just cooked through, slightly firm and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Divide lettuce among four plates, and top with dressed beans, potatoes and tomato. Add fish and top each fillet with a poached egg. Drizzle over any extra pan juice from the fish, along with a spoonful of the olive-anchovy mixture. Squeeze lemon juice over each plate and eat immediately.