Nothing brightens up a winter meal like citrus. In this dish, the sear-roasting method (which I had never heard of before) allows the halibut to form a gorgeous crust while keeping the inside moist, and since the fish's flavor is mild, it's the perfect vehicle for the blood orange salsa that's bursting with sweet, citrusy flavor.
Blood oranges facinate me. The colors are intense reds, oranges, yellows, purples, and even black for the flesh of the orange. The flavor is not overly sweet but used for adding to salads, poultry, seafood, and desserts, such as tarts and sorbets, which all can really show off the blood orange's colors and flavor. Here they work brilliantly with the mild fish.
It all came together easily. The salsa is a simple but flavorful mixture of reduced orange juice, blood oranges, onion and cilantro. The halibut, after being seared on the stove top, roasts for just a few minutes in the oven to finish.
It was the perfect end to a beautiful day: wonderfully flavored halibut topped with a bright, citrusy salsa. We served the halibut alongside some salad greens and rice - a quick and delicious meal.
Sear-roasted Halibut with Blood Orange Salsa
3/4 cup fresh navel or Valencia orange juice (from 2 medium oranges)
3 small blood oranges, cut into segments, segments cut in half
2 Tbs. minced red onion
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. finely grated navel or Valencia orange zest (from 2 medium oranges)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. finely grated navel or Valencia orange zest (from 1 small orange)
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 6-oz. skinless halibut fillets
3 Tbs. olive oil
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
In a small saucepan, boil the orange juice over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the reduced orange juice, blood orange segments, onion, cilantro, olive oil, and orange zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, mix the orange zest, thyme, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Rub the mixture all over the halibut fillets. Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, arrange the fillets in the pan. Sear for about 2 minutes without moving; then use a thin slotted metal spatula to lift a piece of fish and check the color. When the fillets are nicely browned, flip them and put the pan in the oven.
Roast until the halibut is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the halibut to serving plates. Spoon some of the salsa over each fillet