Seared halibut with a side of bright yellow cauliflower with preserved lemon, topped with the kick of a vibrant salsa verde.
This dish is inspired by a recent visit to Bar Tartine in San Francisco. One of the dishes was charred tuna with a side of bright yellow cauliflower. I could taste the preserved lemon right away, but it turns out brown butter is the magic sauce – it rounds out the citrus and turmeric and adds this rich, tender texture that will haunt your dreams.
This recipe works with meaty fish like halibut, salmon, or ahi tuna. The Bar Tartine version featured seared, sliced ahi, and the swiss chard was wrapped around buckwheat in a little packet. My version is a little simpler. The ingredient list seems long, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly the whole meal comes together. Especially if you happen to have some homemade citrus vinaigrette lying around. Just throw it in a food processor with some leafy herbs and almonds and boom – sauce verte. 
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
Roast the cauliflower:
- Preheat oven to 415F.
- Toss cauliflower with olive oil, turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread florets across baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, flipping once. Cauliflower should be tender with moderate browning.
Make sauce verte:
- Place all ingredients plus a large pinch of salt in a food processor or blender, starting with 2 Tbs olive oil.
- Blend until a coarse paste forms, adding more olive oil or a splash or water if too thick.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Saute chard, finish cauliflower and cook fish:
- Chop chard leaves roughly and slice stems.
- Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add stems and cook for 2 minutes.
- Then add garlic, leaves and a large pinch of salt. Cook til tender, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes longer.
- Turn off heat and leave in pan until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbs butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook til light brown and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Transfer roasted cauliflower, brown butter and preserved lemon into a large bowl and mix gently to combine.
- In the same pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp butter over medium-high heat.
- Season fish with salt and pepper. Turn heat down to medium. For halibut, sear 2-3 minutes per side. For salmon, try 4-5 minutes per side, pending thickness. And for tuna, leave heat at medium-high and sear 1-2 minutes per side.
- Slice fish into serving pieces and pour over pan juices.
To serve:
- Give cauliflower once last stir.
- Place some cauliflower on half the plate, chard on the other.
- Top with fish and a drizzle of sauce verte.
- Serve more sauce verte at the table.
Seared Halibut with Sauce Verte and Preserved Lemon Cauliflower
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Pescatarian, Omnivore
Description
Perfectly seared halibut is paired with a vibrant sauce verte and bright lemon-cauliflower. A sophisticated yet simple weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 1 small head (1 small head) cauliflower
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp 1 tsp (22 g) butter
- 0.5 (0.5) preserved lemon
- 1 bunch (1 bunch) cilantro
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45 ml) olive oil
- 1 large clove (1 large clove) garlic
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 (1) lemon or lime
- 2 tbsp (30 g) sliced almonds
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 bunch (1 bunch) red or rainbow chard
- 1 large clove (1 large clove) garlic
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 lb (454 g) meaty fish
- 2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
- 1 tsp (5 g) butter
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Roast the cauliflower: Preheat oven to 415°F (204°C). Toss cauliflower with olive oil, turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread florets across baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, flipping once. Cauliflower should be tender with moderate browning.
- Make sauce verte: Place all ingredients plus a large pinch of salt in a food processor or blender, starting with 2 tbsp olive oil. Blend until a coarse paste forms, adding more olive oil or a splash of water if too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté chard, finish cauliflower and cook fish: Chop chard leaves roughly and slice stems. Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add stems and cook for 2 minutes. Then add garlic, leaves, and a large pinch of salt. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes longer. Turn off heat and leave in pan until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until light brown and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer roasted cauliflower, brown butter, and preserved lemon into a large bowl and mix gently to combine.
- In the same pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp butter over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt and pepper. Turn heat down to medium. For halibut, sear 2-3 minutes per side. For salmon, sear 4-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. For tuna, leave heat at medium-high and sear 1-2 minutes per side. Slice fish into serving pieces and pour over pan juices.
- To serve: Give cauliflower one last stir. Place some cauliflower on half the plate, chard on the other. Top with fish and a drizzle of sauce verte. Serve more sauce verte at the table.
Notes
- For a richer sauce verte, use a combination of parsley, cilantro, and chives.
- If you don’t have preserved lemon, substitute 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and a pinch of lemon juice.
- Store leftover sauce verte in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Searing
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 40
- Saturated Fat: 15
- Unsaturated Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I prepare the cauliflower to get the right texture?
Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, turmeric, and salt, then roast it at 415F for 25 minutes, flipping once to achieve tenderness with moderate browning.
What can I substitute for preserved lemon in the cauliflower dish?
If you don’t have preserved lemon, you can use a mixture of fresh lemon zest and a touch of salt to mimic the flavor, though it won’t be exactly the same.
What if my sauce verte is too thick?
If your sauce verte is too thick, add more olive oil or a splash of water while blending until you reach the desired consistency.
