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!
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil-Pesto Vinaigrette and Fresh Mozzarella
A beautiful twist on the classic Caprese salad!
Ingredients:
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into thick rounds
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thick rounds
Toasted pine nuts and freshly-chopped basil leaves (optional)
For basil-pesto vinaigrette:
2 small garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 cups lightly packed basil
¼ cup shredded Grana-style cheese
3 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
2. On a serving platter, arrange the tomato slices and mozzarella cheese rounds in an alternating pattern. Drizzle with the pesto vinaigrette and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with additional toasted pine nuts and additional chopped basil as desired.
Arugula Pesto
Stash this bright, zippy pesto in your freezer to add to the likes of pastas, soups or even grilled vegetables.
Ingredients:
4 cups arugula
1-2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 cup olive oil
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, garlic, arugula, Parmesan, and about 1 teaspoon salt and pulse to blend. With the machine running, pour in the olive oil through the food tube in a slow, steady stream and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Sweet Corn & Roasted Potato Salad with Fresh Basil
This room temperature salad will be a hit at your next barbecue. (Plus, it’s a snap to prep ahead!)
Ingredients:
3 pounds fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and halved or quartered if large
¼ cup minced parsley
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sweet corn kernels, cut from the cob
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
For dressing:
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the potatoes in a heavy roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, stir to coat. Salt and pepper generously and add chopped parsley. Roast the potatoes until tender and starting to brown, turning once or twice, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
2. When potatoes have cooled, combine together with the corn kernels and sun-dried tomatoes.
3. For the dressing, combine the ½ cup of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Toss the potato mixture enough dressing to coat lightly. Stir in the basil and feta cheese gently, season with salt and pepper and garnish with toasted pine nuts. Serve at room temperature.
