Seared halibut, fennel and satsuma
California halibut is in season now. Sear it the way October taught — dry fish, hot pan, hands off — and serve it beside a cold salad of fennel shaved paper-thin and satsuma rounds, dressed with lemon, olive oil, and a pinch of chile.
About 700 kcal and 50 g protein a serving
You'll need
- 1 lb halibut (or lingcod, or rockfish), about 1 inch thick, in two pieces
- 1 fennel bulb, shaved thin (keep the fronds)
- 3 satsumas, peeled and sliced into rounds
- ½ lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, black pepper, and chile flakes
- Rice: about 1 cup cooked per serving
Make it
Tap a step when it's done.
- 10 minSalt the fish and leave it on a plate. Pat it completely dry right before it goes in the pan.
- Shave the fennel with the food processor's thin slicing disk, or as thin as you can with a sharp knife. Toss it with the lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, and salt, and lay the satsuma rounds over it with the fronds and a pinch of chile flakes.
- 4–5 minHeat 1 tbsp oil in the nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Lay the fish in, away from you, and leave it until the underside is golden and it releases on its own.
- 3–5 minFlip and cook until the thickest part flakes when you press it (the USDA's safe temperature is 145°F). Thinner fillets take less.
- FinishFish over rice, the salad beside it, and the salad's juices spooned over the fish.
Leftovers
Cook both pieces and keep one for lunch: cold, flaked over rice with the rest of the salad. Don't reheat it.
How it works
Lean, sweet fish wants something crisp, cold, and sharp beside it, not a heavy sauce. Halibut is firmer than October's rockfish, so it needs a few more minutes a side, but it's the same sear: the crust forms when you stop moving it. Fennel and citrus is the Sicilian salad; shaved thin, the fennel turns tender in the dressing in a few minutes and stays crunchy.
Make it your own
- Lingcod or rockfish if the halibut is out; thinner fillets cook faster.
- A forkful of pickled fennel in place of the raw fennel.
- The air fryer at 400°F for 8–10 minutes instead of the pan, if you'd rather keep the smell out of the kitchen.
Checked against
- Pan-Seared Halibut with Wilted Bitter Salad — America's Test Kitchen — inch-thick fillets, medium-high heat, about 8–10 minutes in all, flipped once
- Fennel, Orange, and Olive Salad — America's Test Kitchen — thin-sliced fennel and citrus rounds dressed with lemon juice and olive oil
- Fennel & Orange Salad (Insalata di Finocchio e Aranci) — Food52 — the Sicilian salad: paper-thin fennel and citrus, olive oil, salt
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart — USDA — fish is done at 145°F, or when it's opaque and flakes with a fork
Nutrition estimate, per serving
| Calories | 650–700 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 45–50 g |
| Carbohydrates | 65–70 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
A serving: One fillet with half the salad and 1 cup cooked rice.
Not included: Nothing beyond the rice.
Estimated from standard nutrition data for each ingredient in the amounts above, then rounded. Fish, brands, and portions vary, so read these as a guide, not a measurement.