Grilled Halibut with Fennel, Tomatoes, and Roasted Garlic Rouille
Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Time: About 1 1/4 hours. Make both red- and white-wine lovers happy. This meaty halibut dish goes both ways: We love it with a light-bodied, high-acid red, such as Sangiovese, and with two aromatic white Rhône grapes, Roussanne and Marsanne (traditionally blended with Viognier but now going solo more often).
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Pour 3 tbsp. oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add onions, fennel, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Add wine, orange peel, thyme, and saffron; boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste; reduce heat to low and cook, occasionally stirring gently, just until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, prepare a grill for direct medium-high heat (about 450°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 4 to 6 seconds); oil grill well. Rub halibut all over with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 3
3
Lay halibut on cooking grate; close lid if using a gas grill. Cook, gently turning once, just until fish is opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 6 to 10 minutes total.
Step 4
4
Spoon vegetables onto plates and top with halibut; garnish with fennel greens if you like. Serve rouille alongside.
Step 5
5
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving without rouille.
Ingredients
About 3 tbsp. olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
3 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 1/2 lb.; save green fronds for garnish if you like)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
2 cups coarsely chopped firm-ripe tomatoes (about 3/4 lb.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces boned, skinned halibut fillet (1 in. thick, 5 to 6 oz. each), rinsed and dried
Directions
Step 1
1
Pour 3 tbsp. oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add onions, fennel, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 15 minutes. Add wine, orange peel, thyme, and saffron; boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste; reduce heat to low and cook, occasionally stirring gently, just until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, prepare a grill for direct medium-high heat (about 450°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 4 to 6 seconds); oil grill well. Rub halibut all over with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 3
3
Lay halibut on cooking grate; close lid if using a gas grill. Cook, gently turning once, just until fish is opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 6 to 10 minutes total.
Step 4
4
Spoon vegetables onto plates and top with halibut; garnish with fennel greens if you like. Serve rouille alongside.
Step 5
5
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving without rouille.
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