Baked Halibut Recipe with Rose Harissa Sauce
Baked Halibut Recipe with Rose Harissa and Lemon Tahini Sauce is a perfect mix of bold and bright flavors. Tender halibut is baked in a spiced tomato and fennel ragu with rose harissa, then topped with a creamy lemon tahini sauce for a dish that’s as elegant as it is delicious.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
For the fish ragu:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 lb fennel diced, plus 1 Tablespoon chopped fennel fonds (for garnish)
- 2 cloves of garlic finely sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoons rose harissa or 50 percent more depending on the brand – see note
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 15 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes and their juices
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 preserved lemon deseeded, and finely chopped (about 1.5 Tablespoons)
- 2 Halibut , hake, cod, or sea bass (4 to 6 ounce fillets)
Lemon Tahini Sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons quality tahini or whole milk yogurt
- 2 tablespoons ice-cold water
- A pinch of ground cumin
- salt
Instructions
Prepare the Fish:
- Lightly season halibut with a rounded ⅛ teaspoon of salt and set aside.
Make the Ragu:
- Heat olive oil in a wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onion and fennel with a pinch of salt until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Add garlic and fry for 1 minute until it starts to turn golden. Stir in tomato paste, harissa, and fennel seeds, cooking until the paste turns deep brownish-red, stirring frequently.
- Add canned tomatoes and their juices, rinsing the can with a splash of water and adding it to the pot. Mix in brown sugar and break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 10–15 minutes to thicken.
- Stir in preserved lemon, one tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go. Adjust seasoning with additional harissa, salt, or lemon if needed.
Make the Tahini Sauce:
- Combine grated garlic and lemon juice in a bowl; let sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in tahini, then slowly add ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until smooth and runny. Season with cumin and salt to taste.
Cook the Fish:
- Nestle halibut into the tomato ragu. Cover and cook over low heat for 5–10 minutes, depending on the fillet thickness, until just cooked through.
- Remove fish and keep warm. If needed, simmer the ragu uncovered to thicken. Adjust salt as necessary. Place fish on a serving dish, spoon ragu over the top, and drizzle generously with tahini sauce. Garnish with fresh fennel fonds. Serve immediately.