Restaurant-quality meal ready in just over 30 minutes. Mediterranean Halibut with Tomato and Kalamata Olives, this meal can be served with sautéed veggies, some artisanal toasted bread, steamed quinoa or a fresh green side salad for a healthy, flavorful dinner. Flaky and succulent halibut is pan fried until cooked through with a crispy golden crust, and bathed in a sweet-tomatoey garlic fennel white wine sauce. Kind of meals you find in fancy Italian restaurants or rustic Trattoria along the Mediterranean coast.
If you are new to cooking with fish, start with this recipe. Its pretty forgiving and the star of the show is the sauce.
I especially love this sauce which is thick and a bit stew like, sweet with a ton of summer tomatoes, bell pepper, a touch of fennel, some white wine, garlic and a heap of briny Kalamata olives. You’ll love having the sweet and briny flavors juxtapose as you scoop it with a piece of fish.
We love this recipe best paired with some toasted bread, sautéed broccoli and spinach. It’s a simple hearty rustic combo where every flavor just shines.
- Halibut: Mild, flaky, dense and rich halibut is my top choice when it come to white fish. It can be a bit pricey, specially these day so look out for sale time in your grocery stores weekly specials. We’ll need 4(4-6 oz) skinless halibut for this recipe. Other good choices for white fish are Chilean sea bass fillets or other sustainable firm white-fleshed fish fillets such cod or striped bass.
- Kalamata olives: It’s a Mediterranean inspired dish so it’s all about olives. Use less if you don’t like it as much.
- Tomatoes: In summertime like now I love to make this recipe with fresh garden tomatoes, nothing to beat it’s flavor and sweetness. You may need to cook it down a little longer to reduce the moisture of fresh tomatoes as compared to canned. Other times of the year canned tomatoes works really well, just make sure you get a good quality organic preferably.
- Garlic, onion, chili flakes+ fennel: Fresh garlic, onion and fennel are big flavor makers and build the sauce. Chili flakes to wake up the senses.
- White Wine: this is optional, I like it because it adds lots of flavor to give it that restaurant quality flavor + it works so well.
Mediterranean White Fish Stew with Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, about 1 cup, chopped
- 3-4 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small fennel or leek chopped
- ½ cup white wine, something like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
- 1 medium red pepper chopped into small pieces
- 2 pounds fresh tomatoes** or 1(28 oz) can peeled tomatoes (See Notes for subs)
- ¼-½ cup pitted kalamata olives** (See Notes)
- 1 tsp dried oregano or thyme
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ tsp chili flakes or as much as needed
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed
- 2 tbsp e.v olive oil
For the Fish
- 1½ pounds halibut or any white firm fish, about 4(4-6oz each) See Notes for subs
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed
- 1 tbsp e.v olive oil
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the e.v olive oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic, red pepper and fennel or leek. Saute for 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the thyme or oregano, salt red pepper flakes and cook until golden, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the white wine and chopped tomatoes, mix and bring to a rapid boil, cook until soft and most of the moisture has evaporated. About 10-12 minutes
- Add the olives. Reduce to low and simmer for and 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Meanwhile prepare the fish.
- Pat the fish fillets dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the fillets, rounded-side down, and cook for 2 minutes on the first side, (also don't over crowd the pan, in case the pan can't fit cook in 2 batches) You don't want to steam the fish).
- Carefully flip the fillets with a spatula. Cook the fish on the second side for another 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillet or steak you bought.
- Spoon the sauce/stew into 4-5 plates. Place the fish on the sauce, garnish with parsley and extra e.v olive oil. Serve with toasted bread and sautéed broccoli or spinach for a delicious healthy meal.
Notes
- If tomatoes are not in season the recipe can be made with canned tomatoes. Look for good quality 1(28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, San Marzano is my preferred choice. Break up the tomatoes while cooking in the pan with your spoon.
- While pan frying the fish don’t overcrowd the pan, in case the pan can’t fit cook in two batches. You want the fish to crisp up not steam the fish.
- We love olives so I tend to add extra olives. Use about 1/4 cup of kalamata olive or other pitted olives of your choice.
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