Poached Halibut with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Olives

Ingredients

• 4 fillets of skinless halibut, about 6–8 oz each, bones removed
• 1 large white onion, chopped large
• 3 red bell peppers, seeded, stem removed, chopped large
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• 28 oz can of Roma tomatoes,roughly chopped
• 7 oz Kalamata olives
• 1 Tbsp Ancient Halaby Middle Eastern Spice Blend
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil, for sautéing
• Parsley and lemon to garnish

Steps

1. Sauté onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until beginning to brown and caramelize, about 6-8 minutes.
2. Add peppers and continue to cook until soft, another 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
4. Add Ancient Halaby, followed by the white wine.
5. Reduce white wine over medium-high heat, until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.
6. Add tomatoes, turn up heat slightly, and bring to a boil.
7. Add Kalamata olives to the sauce.
8. Gently add halibut to the sauce, nestling it in.
9. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low; poach for 8–10 minutes until just cooked through.
10. Season with salt and garnish with parsley.
11. Serve with lemon wedge and grilled sourdough if desired.

Things to remember

• A good pair of needle-nose pliers works wonders at removing bones from fish; be sure to extract them in the direction of the bone for cleanest results
• If you’ve rinsed your parsley, for best results, dry it thoroughly before chopping
• The onion and pepper can be roughly chopped into 2” or larger chunks to maintain their integrity as “featured” ingredients of the sauce
• Try dry brining the fish for a firmer and more flavorful fillet: simply season the fish generously with salt and sugar and let sit for 10 minutes before rinsing it ice water.