BROILED HALIBUT WITH GREEN OLIVE RELISH & SPICY LEMON QUINOA

My only New Years resolution was to eat fish at least once a week.  I know all about the health benefits of fish and I'm well aware of how delicious it can be, and yet I rarely make it at home.  I'm not sure why.  I really do like it.  When I do, one of my favorite ways to prepare it is with olives.  Fish and olives are the best of friends.  I came across this recipe one day while navigating my way through Martha's website.  It's from a segment she did on her show one day with guest Susie Essman, from Curb Your Enthusiasm.  It seems that Ms. Essman is allergic to gluten, so the two of them made this dish, a healthy fish on a bed of flavorful quinoa.  It's a fantastic and quick recipe, perfect for a weeknight, unlike some of the more time consuming dishes I've been posting as of late.

I've really been into looking up and comparing different versions of similar recipes and then sort of taking elements of each and combining them.  There's a recipe much like this one in the February issue of Food and Wine, however that one uses thin trout fillets and the relish also has supremed segments of lemon as well as orange in it.  Then my beloved Suzanne Goin was on Martha a while back and did grilled halibut with an olive "salsa" using, not surprisingly, Lucques olives and Meyer lemons. She served her fish with an elegant little salad of fennel, arugula and a melange of herbs including tarragon, chervil, mint and basil.  Sounds like a good idea to try for the next time.

INGREDIENTS
(for the quinoa)
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

(for the olive relish)
1 cup green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice or champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

(for the halibut)
1 lemon, sliced in half
4 center-cut halibut fillets (7 to 8 ounces)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Transfer to a medium saucepan, and pour in 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is completely absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes (but check the package for exact cooking times)

Meanwhile in a medium bowl add the lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, cayenne, a grinding of black pepper, and olive oil.  Whisk to combine. 

Pour the cooked quinoa into the bowl with the dressing and stir until coated.  Gently fold in the pine nuts and parsley then season with salt and pepper.  This salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

Next make the relish.  In a medium bowl, stir together olives, parsley, lemon zest, and olive oil.  Done.

And finally the fish.  Preheat your broiler.  Slather both sides of the halibut with olive oil, spritz with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  Place the halibut on a rimmed baking sheet and slide under the broiler and cook for about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your fish.  Mine was about 1 inch.

To serve, mound the spicy lemon quinoa on a plate, top with a piece of halibut and spoon over the green olive relish.

And my love affair with quinoa continues.  It's such a great side dish and so healthy and virtually guilt free.  The combination of the bright citrus, the smoky cumin and the spicy heat of the cayenne seemed like a surprising combination when I was making it, but they all work really well together.  Then adding in the verdant, herby parsley and the soft crunch of pine nuts make this salad light yet satisfying.  It's a great bed for the fish which in turn works so well with the briny, salty olives tossed with yet more bright lemon zest and parsley.  Lovely enough to serve to guests yet quick enough to toss together after work.

Serves 4

Comments

[Jessica]

I'm thinking about naming my first baby Quinoa.

[Kevin]

Lemon quinoa, olive relish and halibut; this dinner sounds amazing!

[White On Rice Couple]

Fish is a good start to New Year, but this fish dish and photograph is a FANTASTIC start ! We'll make fish first on our list too for tomorrow's Lunar New Year.

[marissa]

any recommendation on type of green olive?

[Sues is not Martha]

Oooh! I am always looking for new fish recipes...and I love anything with olives :) Might need to try this!

[Jen]

Tried this last night-- loved it! (I also worship at the House of Goin...) Thanks for the post.

[dicker]

I made it with striped bass (it was cheaper) and it turned out great.

[Rachel]

Wow - I made this last night and it was FABULOUS. I'm thrilled to have a new recipe for cooking some of the 64 pounds' worth of halibut and salmon sitting in my freezer (from my husband's Alaska fishing trip). Thanks!

Oh, and while your recipe made 4 servings of quinoa, my husband and I ate the entire bowlful between the two of us. It was that good. The relish was great, too.

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I really enjoy spicy food it doesn't matter if is with pasta or meat I just can't resisted.

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