Halibut with Fennel and Haricots Verts
Quick-cooking fish fillets are a natural choice for weeknights when you want to get dinner on the table in about half an hour. Just remember to use a nonstick pan so that the delicate fillets don’t fall apart when you flip them.
Ingredients
- 2 halibut fillets, each 6 to 8 oz. (180 to 250 g)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/2 lb. (250 g) haricots verts, trimmed
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) white wine
- Flaky sea salt for finishing
- Fresh lemon juice for finishing
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Directions
Place the halibut fillets on a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper and sprinkle with the fennel seeds. Set aside.
In a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sliced fennel, haricots verts, garlic and pinch each of salt and pepper. Sauté until the fennel and haricots verts are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter, season with kosher salt and pepper and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the halibut fillets and sear until lightly browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip the fillets and sear for 2 minutes more. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the wine and cover the pan. Steam the halibut until the fish flakes easily when gently pierced with a fork, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Arrange the halibut on top of the vegetables on the platter. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and drizzle lightly with lemon juice. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. Serves 2.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen