Halibut season is getting going here on the Pacific Coast. I love sitting down to a plate of grilled halibut – or any grilled fish, for that matter.

Steve Johnson, chef-owner of the Rendezvous in Central Square in Cambridge, Mass., likes using olive oil with grilled fish. “The olive oil-based sauces are a little bit more appropriate for my palate than butter,” Johnson told us. I couldn’t agree more.

Johnson’s recipe for grilled halibut topped with fennel vinaigrette appears in Peggy Knickerbocker’s cookbook, “Olive Oil: From Tree to Table” (Chronicle Books, 2007). It’s filled with recipes using extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).  I posted a recipe for roasted potatoes “tattooed” with rosemary and Italian parsley on our consumer blog.

Johnson told California Olive Ranch the vinaigrette for the halibut also goes well with rich, oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardines and bluefish.  “We’re using that same vinaigrette on our menu for grilled sardines,” he said.  I may have to take a trip East to see for myself.

Grilled Halibut with Chunky Fennel Vinaigrette

Serves 4

1 cup chopped fennel
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped
1 teaspoon salt-cured capers, rinsed, drained, and minced
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or a little less if dried
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
4 halibut fillets or steaks, each about 1 inch thick and about 1 ½ pounds total weight

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.

Put the chopped fennel, shallots, garlic, anchovies, and capers in a bowl; toss well.  Add the mustard, thyme, pepper flakes, lemon juice, and olive oil and stir to mix.  Season with salt and pepper.

Place the fish on an oiled grill rack 6 to 8 inches above the fire.  Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once.  To test for doneness, pierce a piece of fish with a knife; it should be opaque in the center.

Transfer the fish to a warmed platter or individual plates and spoon some of the fennel vinaigrette over the top.  Serve the remaining vinaigrette in a bowl alongside.

Note: The fish can also be cooked on a stove-top grill or in a cast-iron skillet, adding a little extra-virgin olive oil in both cases.

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch

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