Halibut Niçoise
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
- 3 anchovy fillets, optional, mashed to a paste
- 4 cups homemade tomato sauce (store bough works too)
- Several sprigs fresh basil
- 1/3 cup oil cured olives, pitted and finely chopped
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 pounds fresh halibut, skin removed and cut into 2 inch pieces
- Several handfuls steamed string beans, for serving
- 2 pounds boiled small potatoes - purple if you can find them - for serving
Heat olive oil in a large shallow but wide pot over a medium flame. Add onion and cook just until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in mashed garlic and anchovies (if using) and cook a moment or two more. Add tomato sauce and basil. Increase heat so that sauce just begins to bubble and then reduce heat and let simmer about 30 minutes. Add olives and cook a few minutes. Season well - keeping in mind salt content of anchovies and olives. Season fish with a bit more salt and pepper. Add halibut to pot - partially submerging it in the hot sauce. Cover and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Serve fish with a big spoonful of tomato sauce, steamed beans, boiled potatoes and a nice drizzle of olive oil. Snip a few basil leaves over dish if lying around.