Description
Seared halibut with a side of bright yellow cauliflower with preserved lemon, topped with the kick of a vibrant sauce verte.
Ingredients
Cauliflower with Preserved Lemon and Brown Butter
- 1 small head cauliflower (chopped into small florets)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 Tbs plus 1 tsp butter
- 1/2 preserved lemon (flesh discarded and rind minced fine)
Sauce Verte
- 1 bunch cilantro (or a mix of cilantro, parsley and mint, roughly chopped)
- 2–3 Tbs cup olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic (peeled and smashed)
- 1 Tbs red wine or champagne vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon or lime
- 2 Tbs sliced almonds
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Sautéed Chard
- 1 bunch red or rainbow chard (leaves stripped)
- 1 large clove garlic (minced)
- 1 Tbs olive oil
Seared Fish
- 1 lb meaty fish – halibut (salmon or tuna)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp butter
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Main
- Method: Searing
- Cuisine: American