Crisp-skinned halibut with pancetta, potatoes and blood orange salad recipe

By delicious. team

Serves 2
Takes 30 minutes to make, 25 minutes to cook
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Planning an evening for two? This delicious crisp-skinned halibut makes a refreshing main course.

Crisp-skinned halibut with pancetta, potatoes and blood orange salad

Ingredients

250g new or red-skinned waxy potatoes, diced into 2cm pieces
2 x 175g skin-on halibut fillets, bones removed
Plain flour for dusting
2 tbsp olive oil
70g pack cubed pancetta
Small handful of flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
FOR THE SALAD
2 blood oranges
2 small shallots, finely sliced
1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced, plus the fennel frond, finely chopped
1 tbsp pink peppercorns in brine (from Waitrose), drained and crushed
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tsp sugar

Method

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 6 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
2. Prepare the salad. Peel and segment the oranges over a bowl and reserve any juice. Put the segments in a large serving bowl and add the shallots, fennel, chopped fennel fronds and crushed peppercorns. Whisk the reserved orange juice with the oil, sugar and a pinch of salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and set aside.
3. Dust the halibut fillets in a little flour. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil and half the pancetta. Fry for 1 minute, then add the halibut fillets skin-side down and cook for 3-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden. Transfer the fish and pancetta to a plate, cover with foil, then keep warm in a low oven.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan, add the rest of the pancetta, then cook for a few minutes until turning golden.
5. Tip in the drained potatoes and sauté for 8 minutes or until golden and crusty. Remove the potatoes from the heat and add the finely chopped flatleaf parsley.
6. Spoon the potatoes and pancetta on to 2 serving plates, then top with the fish and remaining pancetta. Put a good spoonful of the salad on top of the fish, then finish with a little extra-virgin olive oil and dressing from the bowl drizzled over the top. Serve any extra salad in a separate bowl.

Nutritional info

PER SERVING 654kcals, 42g fat (6.9g saturated),56.6g protein, 41g carbs, 17.3g sugar, 1.8g salt

Wine Recommendation

French Sauvignon Blanc or a chilled Chenin Blanc would be fine with this dish. Or a premium Italian white, such as Verdicchio or Lugana, would be even better.