I ended up having to modify this one a bit. It was meant to be made with escarole. But I couldn't find any when I went to the grocery store. So I ended up just getting a bunch of green kale instead and used that as the vegetable component of this recipe. I think it would've been a lot better (and more interesting) with escarole, but I didn't have time to run all over town looking for it, so I just went with what I had.

Halibut with Braised Escarole & White Beans

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 6 halibut fillets (~1kg total)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 450g escarole, cored and cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 can (~400g) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 c. (or more) water
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Season the halibut with salt and pepper.
2. In a large pan with a lid, heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
3. Add halibut fillets and sear on one side until golden-brown (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1-2 Tbsp. of oil to the pan and heat over medium heat.
5. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and fry for about a minute.
6. Add as much escarole as will fit in the pan. Continue to add more as the greens in the pan wilt. If the pan seems dry, add a splash of water.
7. Cook until the escarole is slightly wilted.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Add the beans and 1/2 c. of water.
10. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until escarole is very tender (~8 minutes).
11. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
12. Nestle the halibut fillets into the escarole, browned-side-up, cover, and cook until fish is done (~4 more minutes).
13. Serve with lemon wedges.

 We got a bunch of assorted frozen fish recently and have been seeking ways to use them up. symbol noticed this recipe in a recent Cook's Country and we decided to try it out.

It was a huge success. The recipe is written for fish alone and recommends serving it with a side of crusty bread; we served it over linguine, and I've adjusted the recipe accordingly. We both found it delicious and the only reason I didn't go back for seconds is that I'd already filled up on firsts.

This recipe is halved compared to the recipe given in the magazine, since that's how much fish we had. If preparing for more than two people you'll probably want the full-scale recipe. It also suggests skinless halibut, but we made it with skin-on filets and cooked them skin down and it turned out fine.

Halibut Puttanesca

Cook's Country, Oct/Nov 2020, p.15

Ingredients

• 2 (170-225g each) halibut filets
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground filter
• ⅛ C olive oil (or oil from the anchovies)
• 1 shallot (or ½ small red onion)
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 oz (30g) anchovies, drained and chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 8 oz (220mL) diced tomatoes in their juice
• ¼ C pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• ⅛ C capers
• ⅛ C parsley
• ½ lb linguine or similar pasta

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Sprinkle halibut with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium low heat.
4. Add shallot, garlic, anchovies, oregano, and pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant and shallot softens, 4-6 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and parsley. Stir to combine.
6. Nestle halibut filets into sauce, skin side down. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
7. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until fish is cooked through, 15-18 minutes.
8. While the fish is baking, bring some water to a boil and cook the pasta.
9. Serve the pasta topped with halibut and sauce.