Serves 4
For this recipe, you will need:
Fennel
1 large bulb fennel, trimmed, feathery tips discarded
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup diced onion, in 1/4-inch dice
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced tomatoes, in 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup dry white wine
About 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
To taste salt
To taste ground black pepper
Spinach Garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound fresh spinach
To taste salt
To taste ground black pepper
Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette
1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid from braising the fennel
1/4 cup peeled, seeded, diced tomatoes, in 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
Halibut
2 tablespoons olive oil
Four 5- to 6-ounce halibut filets, 1 1/4 inches thick (okay to substitute salmon)
To taste salt
To taste freshly ground white pepper
Directions:
1. Make the fennel: Trim the end of the fennel bulb, making sure not to cut too deeply: the layers must remain connected at the bottom or the wedges will not hold together. Cut the bulb lengthwise into four wedges.
2. Heat a 6- or 8-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic. Cover and cook, without browning, until soft, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the wine reduces by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the fennel and enough chicken stock to just cover it. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cook, turning occasionally, until the fennel is barely tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Season the cooking liquid to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let the fennel cool in the liquid.
5. Transfer the fennel to a clean towel and pat dry.
6. Strain and reserve the liquid for use in the vinaigrette recipe.
7. Heat a clean 6- or 8-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the fennel. Cook until the fennel is browned and nicely caramelized on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
8. Make the spinach garnish: Fill a 6-quart pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl and set aside.
9. Stem the spinach and wash the leaves at least twice.
10. Add enough salt to make the boiling water taste like the ocean. Blanch the spinach in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the spinach to the ice water bath and swish it around. Drain off the water and squeeze out the excess moisture from the spinach.
11. Just before plating the halibut, heat a 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter. When the foaming subsides, add the spinach and sauté until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
12. Make the tomato-basil vinaigrette: In a 1- or 2-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the reserved braising liquid from the fennel, the tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, and shallots. Whisk to combine and heat over low heat until the mixture is warm. Remove from the heat and keep warm. Just before serving, add most of the basil and parsley to the warm vinaigrette, reserving some of the chopped herbs for garnish.
13. Make the halibut: Place a 10- or 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the fish. Cook until golden brown on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the fish and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until it is barely opaque in the center, another 2 to 3 minutes.
14. To serve, add most of the basil and parsley to the reserved tomato vinaigrette, reserving a bit for garnish. Place a mound of warm spinach in the center of each plate. Place a piece of fennel on top of the spinach, fanning it out slightly. Top with a piece of halibut. Spoon the warm vinaigrette around and over each serving. Garnish with the remaining chopped basil and parsley.
For this recipe, you will need:
Fennel
Spinach Garnish
Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette
Halibut
Directions:
1. Make the fennel: Trim the end of the fennel bulb, making sure not to cut too deeply: the layers must remain connected at the bottom or the wedges will not hold together. Cut the bulb lengthwise into four wedges.
2. Heat a 6- or 8-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic. Cover and cook, without browning, until soft, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the wine reduces by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the fennel and enough chicken stock to just cover it. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cook, turning occasionally, until the fennel is barely tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife. Season the cooking liquid to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let the fennel cool in the liquid.
5. Transfer the fennel to a clean towel and pat dry.
6. Strain and reserve the liquid for use in the vinaigrette recipe.
7. Heat a clean 6- or 8-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the fennel. Cook until the fennel is browned and nicely caramelized on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
8. Make the spinach garnish: Fill a 6-quart pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl and set aside.
9. Stem the spinach and wash the leaves at least twice.
10. Add enough salt to make the boiling water taste like the ocean. Blanch the spinach in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately transfer the spinach to the ice water bath and swish it around. Drain off the water and squeeze out the excess moisture from the spinach.
11. Just before plating the halibut, heat a 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter. When the foaming subsides, add the spinach and sauté until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
12. Make the tomato-basil vinaigrette: In a 1- or 2-quart saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the reserved braising liquid from the fennel, the tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, and shallots. Whisk to combine and heat over low heat until the mixture is warm. Remove from the heat and keep warm. Just before serving, add most of the basil and parsley to the warm vinaigrette, reserving some of the chopped herbs for garnish.
13. Make the halibut: Place a 10- or 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the fish. Cook until golden brown on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the fish and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until it is barely opaque in the center, another 2 to 3 minutes.
14. To serve, add most of the basil and parsley to the reserved tomato vinaigrette, reserving a bit for garnish. Place a mound of warm spinach in the center of each plate. Place a piece of fennel on top of the spinach, fanning it out slightly. Top with a piece of halibut. Spoon the warm vinaigrette around and over each serving. Garnish with the remaining chopped basil and parsley.
