Sear-Roasted Halibut with Blood Orange Salsa

By mitzzy

Nothing brightens up a winter meal like citrus. In this dish, the sear-roasting method allows the halibut to form that 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.

Ingredients

• For the 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
• For the halibut
• 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

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Make the salsa

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.


Cook the halibut

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.