- 1 cup chopped fennel
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped
- 1 tsp. salt-cured capers, rinsed, drained, and minced
- 1 tsp. whole-grain mustard
- ½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme, or a little less if dried
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup California Olive Ranch 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 stovetop grill or in a cast-iron skillet, adding a little extra virgin olive oil in both cases.
Recipe reprinted with permission Olive Oil: From Tree to Table by Peggy Knickerbocker
(Chronicle Books, 2007)
Recipe by Chef Owner Steve Johnson, Rendezvous in Central Square, Cambridge, MA