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- Stovetop
Ingredients
For the polenta
- 4 cups
water
- 1 cup
polenta or coarse cornmeal (not instant)
- 1 tsp
salt
- 3 tbsp
unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup
Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 cup
whole milk, warm
For the fish and sauce
- 4 pieces
halibut steaks or thick fillets (about 6 oz each, 1 1/4 inches thick), patted dry
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp
olive oil
- 4
oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 3 cloves
garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp
red chili flakes
- 1 1/2 lb
cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2/3 cup
pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half
- 2 tbsp
capers, drained
- 1/2 cup
dry white wine or water
- 1 tbsp
lemon juice
- 1/4 cup
fresh parsley, chopped
- Gluten-free
- Pescatarian
Contains milk (unsalted butter, Parmesan cheese, whole milk).
Whether it’s vegetarian depends on the Parmesan cheese: check the label.
Not checked: polenta or coarse cornmeal (not instant), halibut steaks or thick fillets (about 6 oz each, 1 1/4 inches thick), oil-packed anchovy fillets, pitted Kalamata olives, dry white wine or water.
Diets guessed by AI from the ingredients, not checked.
Steps
- Step 1
Take the halibut out of the fridge, pat it dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper. Let it sit on a plate while you start the polenta.
5 min
- 4 pieces halibut steaks or thick fillets (about 6 oz each, 1 1/4 inches thick)
- salt
- black pepper
- Step 2
Bring the water and 1 tsp salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour in the polenta in a slow stream while whisking constantly so it doesn't clump.
8 min
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup polenta or coarse cornmeal (not instant)
- 1 tsp salt
- Step 3
Turn the heat to low so the polenta barely bubbles. Cook, whisking for 15 seconds every few minutes and scraping the bottom, until thick, soft, and no longer gritty. Start the sauce while it cooks.
25 min, hands-off
- Step 4
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies, garlic, and chili flakes and cook, mashing the anchovies with a spoon, until they melt into the oil and the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes.
2 min
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- Step 5
Add the cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and wine. Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer, pressing some of the tomatoes with a spoon, until the tomatoes have broken down into a loose, glossy sauce, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and add salt only if it needs it — the olives, capers, and anchovy are already salty.
10 min
- 1 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes
- 2/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or water
- Step 6
Reduce the heat to medium-low and nestle the halibut into the sauce, spooning a little over the top of each piece. Cover and simmer gently until the fish is opaque and flakes easily at its thickest point, 8 to 10 minutes.
9 min
- 4 pieces halibut steaks or thick fillets (about 6 oz each, 1 1/4 inches thick)
- Step 7
Finish the polenta: off the heat, stir in the butter, Parmesan, and warm milk until smooth and pourable. Add a splash more milk if it stiffens, and taste for salt.
2 min
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- Step 8
Stir the lemon juice and most of the parsley into the sauce around the fish. Spoon the polenta into shallow bowls, set a piece of halibut on each, spoon the sauce over, and scatter with the remaining parsley.
3 min
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
Where it’s from
Written by AI from an idea
Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026