Halibut Tapenade
Halibut has always been one of my favorite fish. In this recipe (from my second cookbook) the fish is lightly coated with flour and quickly seared. The halibut is then topped with a generous amount of Tapenade and finished in the oven. Meanwhile, a simple lemon beurre blanc is made with the fond left in the sauté pan.
Tapenade is very easy to make, especially if you have a food processor. In this recipe’s photo, I used black Kalamata olives to achieve that dark contrasting color to the white halibut. Green olives, like Castelvetrano from Sicily, also make great “green” tapenades. Often I will use what is known as a “country mix” which is a combination of both green and black olives, however with the green olives, the Tapenade won’t have the intense dark color.
Whether you are using pitted olives or olives with the pits in them (and pitting them yourself), double check before you put the olives in the food processor that there are no pits. The food processor will make quick work of turning that single rogue olive pit into many little pieces, and can ruin a batch of Tapenade.
TOOL TIP:
If you are using olives with the pits in them, this meat mallet is the best tool to smash them open to expose the pit inside. All varieties of olives require a different amount of force to crack them open. Some are very firm and require some force while others are soft and just need a little tap, or they can simply be pitted with a pinch of your finger. Just be careful not to splinter the pit into a million pieces.
Halibut Tapenade
Course: EntreeCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes10
minutesIngredients
4 five-ounce portions of fresh halibut fillet
Kosher salt and ground white pepper
All-purpose flour
Olive oil for frying
Tapenade (recipe below)
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
- Tapenade
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 anchovy fillets
2 cups pitted olives (Kalamata or country mix)
1 Tablespoon capers
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Place the halibut on a plate and sprinkle with salt and white pepper; gently coat with flour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cover the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil and heat. Gently lay the floured fish in the oil and brown, cooking on the first side for about 2 minutes or until a golden brown crust forms. Flip over and continue on the other side. Remove the fish to a cookie sheet and spread a thick, even layer of tapenade on each fillet. Finish cooking the halibut in the oven for about 5 minutes.
- Return the sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and the minced shallot and stir for 30 seconds. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce until it is almost dry. Add the butter and lemon juice and heat until melted. Season with a pinch of white pepper and salt to taste and finish with the chopped parsley.
- To serve, arrange the halibut on a serving plate or platter and top with the sauce.
- Tapenade
- Double check to ensure that there are no pits mixed in with the olives.
- Combine all of the ingredients but the olive oil, in the food processor and blend until well pureed.
- With the food processor still running, drizzle in the olive oil until it is well combined.
