ROAST HALIBUT or COD
with Mixed Citrus Vierge
About the Recipe
This flavorful, beautiful dish can be served hot, warm or room temperature and thus is great all year 'round. Nonetheless I serve it most often in summer. It's a refreshing main course in hot weather and so convenient for the cook to have made it ahead and be able to visit with guests. The flavors and colors of the various citrus fruits create a delicious melange. And once sprinkled with herbs, the fish is beautiful as well.
The citrus is flexible. If you have more of one thing or another, feel free to substitute. It will still be great. I like to serve rice or grain salad alongside in summer. If the fish is served hot, polenta is a good accompaniment as are mashed potatoes, wild rice or rice pilaf. I also love whole wheat couscous with almost anything.
If you're one of those people whose only fish is salmon, the Vierge is good with salmon as well, all that acid cutting the fatty fish.
Roast Halibut or Cod with Mixed Citrus Vierge
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 pink grapefruits, one zested and then both cut into supremes
2 blood oranges, cut into supremes (if unavailable, substitute 2 navel oranges or 4 clementines or tangerines)
2 navel oranges, 1 zested and then both cut into supremes
Juice of 1 large lime or more to taste
Juice of 1 large lemon or more to taste
1 large red onion, sliced into paper thin rings or half rings
1 fresh fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 large clove of garlic, peeled and finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 cup or more mixed chopped fresh chives, basil, cilantro, and/or mint—best to use all—and LOTS of cilantro
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 ½-4 pounds cod, hake or halibut fillets---approximately 1/3 pound per person OR use one large piece of fish fillet.
olive oil mixed with chopped garlic, salt and pepper to rub on fish ahead of time
Method
Mix together all the Vierge ingredients, reserving half the herbs for later use. Set aside and preheat the oven to its highest setting (500-550F). Put a metal baking pan (with sides no higher than about 2 inches) in the oven large enough to hold the fish pieces with plenty of room around each one so the fish bakes and does not steam
Rub the fish with the mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper
When the oven is hot, lay the fish pieces in the pan at least two inches apart. They will sizzle.
Bake 15-25 minutes until done. The fish is done (perfectly flaky) when it just begins to ooze opaque white juices that will mix in the pan with the oil that is already there
When done, transfer the fish to a large platter. This dish can be served hot, warm or room temperature. When ready to serve, top with the Citrus Vierge and sprinkle with the reserved herbs