Halibut Nicoise

Last Year's Post:  Halibut with Cucumbers and Ginger
Two Years Ago:   Chicken Schnitzel Sandwiches

I sometimes get inspiration for a recipe when I see a new and interesting fruit or vegetable at the store.  I might not immediately know what to do with it, but it gets filed away for future reference.  In this case, I noticed a bag of tiny multi-colored potatoes at Whole Foods that just begged to be part of a salad.  So, when I came across this recipe for Halibut Nicoise I knew exactly where to buy the potatoes.

This is a new and sophisticated take on the typical Nicoise salad that's not really a salad at all, but a warmer and more substantial dish.  Beautiful baby vegetables surround a warm, meaty halibut fillet for a great fall or winter dinner.  It's definitely a restaurant-quality dish in terms of presentation and taste which makes sense because it comes from Lost Kitchen restaurant in Maine.  And I need to warn you, it's also a fair amount of work and will probably trash your cook top when the oil starts spattering.  But it's definitely worth it.  Just don't try it on a weeknight when you're tired and rushed - a weekend is much better where you can prepare the various ingredients (eggs, beans, potatoes) throughout the day to lessen the workload right before you eat.

The halibut cooking process is classic restaurant style - sear the skin side until it releases, flip and add butter to the pan, then put it in the oven until done,  basting with butter along the way.  Finished with an olive/garlic/anchovy garnish,  it's one of the best-tasting pieces of halibut I've had.  Ah, butter.  Of course, you could substitute sea bass, salmon or tuna for the halibut if that's what looks good at the seafood counter or suits your taste.

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Halibut Nicoise

Serves 4

2 eggs

Salt, as needed

½ lb tiny green beans (haricots verts), trimmed

1 lb baby potatoes, any color

½ cup mixed kalamata and green olives, pitted and finely chopped

1 anchovy fillet, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Ground black pepper

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 halibut fillets, 5-6 ounces each

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 head bibb or leaf lettuce, leaves washed and torn into bite-sized pieces

1 lemon, quartered

Hard boil the eggs:  heat a saucepan of water to a boil, then gently lower the eggs into the water.  Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 11 minutes.  While the eggs cook, prepare an ice bath (ice and water) in a medium bowl.  After 11 minutes, remove the eggs and place in the ice bath for 15 minutes.  Drain and remove the shell under cool running water.  Place in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, mix olives, anchovy and garlic, and set aside.

To cook the beans and potatoes, fill a large pot with water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil.  In the sink, prepare another ice bath.  Add the green beans to the pot and cook for 1 minute, then scoop out with a slotted spoon and place in the ice bath.  Add the potatoes to the same pot of hot water and simmer for 12 – 15 minutes until fork tender.  Drain and set aside until cool.  When cool, cut the potatoes in halves or quarters depending on size.  Remove the beans from the ice water and pat dry.

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.  Add the green beans and toss to coat, the remove to a separate bowl.  Add the potatoes and tomatoes to the remaining dressing and toss to coat.  Season the beans, potatoes and tomatoes with salt and pepper.

Heat the oven to 425d.

Divide the lettuce between 4 plates.  Slice the eggs and divide between the plates, then add the beans, potatoes and tomatoes around the sides (leaving a spot in the middle for the halibut).

Heat a large ovenproof skillet, ideally cast iron, over medium-high heat.  Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.  Pat the halibut dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.  Add the fillets to the hot pan skin-side down and let sear until they release easily from the pan, 2-3 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 just cooked through, 2-3 minutes more.

Place a fillet in the middle of each plate and drizzle with any leftover pan juices.  Spoon the olive-anchovy mixture over each fillet, garnish with lemon quarters, and serve.