Recipe: Baked Halibut with Lemon-Fennel Sauce

Serves 4

Sauce:

1 tablespoon pine nuts

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup golden raisins

2 tablespoons peeled and minced shallots

½ cup finely diced fennel (leaves reserved)

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced parsley

Halibut:

1 1/3 pounds halibut fillet, cut into 4 serving pieces

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fennel leaves

1. To prepare sauce: Put pine nuts into a small skillet and place on medium heat. Toast 4 minutes, or until the nuts begin to take on a little color. Remove from heat and set aside, stirring occasionally, until golden. Set aside.

2. Combine wine and raisins in a small pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until about 2 tablespoons of the wine remains. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in shallots, diced fennel, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley. Set aside.

3. To prepare halibut: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place fish on a rack in a baking pan, or use a broiler pan, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay a few of the fresh fennel leaves on top. Cook about 10 to 12 minutes per inch of thickness. Test fish in the thickest part for doneness.

4. Using a wide spatula, transfer fish to plates. Spoon sauce over fish, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.