Halibut in Puttanesca Sauce

Amarante

Wed, Nov 30 2016, 9:23 am

This is a nice way to serve halibut which can be a dry fish but any firm fleshed white fish would work.

Puttanesca Sauce is theoretically named because the Italian ladies of the night would prepare the sauce after they got home from work and it could be prepared quickly in a make shift kitchen. LOL

Who knows if the story is apocryphal or not. Wink

Halibut in Puttanesca Sauce

Puttanesca Sauce:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 anchovies, roughly chopped or mashed with a fork
1/4 cup capers
3/4 cup pitted Moroccan oil-cured black olives, roughly chopped
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups Pomodoro Sauce (see recipe below)
6 (5-ounce) Halibut fillets, skinned
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch basil, stemmed, for garnish

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until just fragrant, 1 minute. Add the anchovies, capers and olives and cook until the anchovies have begun to dissolve in the oil, about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and the Pomodoro Sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the fish fillets, making sure they are submerged in the sauce, and gently simmer until the fish is cooked through and the flesh is milky white and slightly flaky, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the sauce and lots of fresh basil.

Fresh Pomodoro Sauce

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for garnish
12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
12 fresh tomatoes, cut in large chunks
3 (28-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
2 -1/2 teaspoons sugar
Kosher salt
¼ cup fresh basil, chiffonnade or delicately sliced

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, both fresh and canned and bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Stir in sugar, and season with salt, to taste. Add fresh basil.

Serve sauce over hot pasta with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of basil, and cheese.

Let extra sauce cool completely and then seal in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up 1 week and freeze for up to 1 month.