Roasted Halibut with Fennel, Leeks & Garlic
Fragrant with roasted fennel and leeks, this incredibly elegant dish is sure to impress.
Ingredients:
2 medium fennel bulbs, cored and cut into ½ -inch thick slices
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise and into 1/2 inch thick slices
10 garlic cloves, cut in half
1 pound filet of halibut, skin removed
4 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup white wine
Zest of 1 lemon, plus 3 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Stir the leeks, fennel and garlic together with 2 tablespoons of oil, the white balsamic and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add half of the lemon zest, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, raisins and season with salt and pepper. Pour the vegetable mixture into a roasting pan and roast for about 15-20 minutes until veggies start to get tender.
2. In the meantime place the halibut, skin side up, in a baking dish with the white wine and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Let marinate in the refrigerator while the veggies are roasting. After about 15 minutes, pour off ¾ of the liquid, flip the fish to have the skin side down, rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with remaining red pepper flakes, lemon zest and salt and pepper.
3. Push the veggies aside to make space and place the fish in the oven to roast, moving the pan to the top rack. Roast for about 15 minutes until the fish is flaky and slightly opaque, and veggies are full cooked and caramelized. Stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, ½ tablespoon lemon juice and the fresh herbs. Spoon the veggies on to a serving platter, lay the fish on top and spoon the herb vinaigrette over top. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.
Variation: In lieu of the herb vinaigrette at the end, you could instead garnish the fish with a few pats of this week’s lemon-basil compound butter; delicious!
Broccolini with Vin Cotto
Coated in a balsamic vinegar glaze, this garlic-flecked broccoli makes for a lovely supper side.
Ingredients:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 pound broccolini, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Method:
1. Pour balsamic vinegar and sugar into a small saucepan set over medium heat. Let reduce by a half to a third, 25-30 minutes. Set aside.
2. Set a 6-quart pot of water to boil. When boiling, add the broccolini and blanch for about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
3. Set a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook to season the oil for a minute or two. Add the blanched broccoli and sear, tossing carefully after a minute. After 3-4 minutes more, remove from heat. (The broccolini should be tender yet retain a definite crunch.)
4. Transfer the broccolini, garlic and pepper flakes to a serving platter and pour any remaining oil from the skillet over the veggies. Drizzle generously with the vin cotto glaze. Season with more salt and pepper as desired.
Garlic Butter-Roasted Mushrooms
Roasted with capers and garlic, this simple dish is a real show-stopper.
Ingredients:
½ pound wild mushrooms, such as this week’s mixture of local mushrooms, washed and dried
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450° with rack placed in middle.
2. Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, salt and several grinds of black pepper in a small 1½- to 2-quart shallow baking dish.
3. Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately.
Butter-Braised Carrots with Thyme
Braised in sweet butter and tossed with garlic and thyme, these carrots are truly sublime.
Ingredients:
1½ pounds carrots, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (if desired)
2 thyme sprigs
1¾ cups chicken stock
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large ovenproof skillet (one that has an accompanying lid, which will be used later), melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the carrots, garlic and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until the carrots are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
2. Cover the skillet with the lid. Braise the carrots in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until they are very tender. Discard the thyme sprigs and serve.
