SEARED HALIBUT WITH CORIANDER & CARROTS

Seared Halibut with Coriander & Carrots image

{flirt with flavor} Season after season, I continue to be captured by the multicolored array of carrots that can be found at the farmers' market in all shapes and sizes, and am always looking for new ways to make them shine. Coriander and carrots make music together as a complement for meaty halibut. Dip your toe into the exotic flavors of Indian spices like coriander and turmeric with this lively, colorful spring supper so pretty you'll want to bring out your finest platter and pour some wine for two. Sip: Torrontes, Sylvaner or Cabernet Franc

Provided by Sarah Copeland

Categories Dairy Fish Yogurt Dinner Seafood Halibut Spice Root Vegetable Carrot Seed Coriander Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher

Yield Serves 2

Number Of Ingredients 22

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Ingredients

Halibut
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Two 6-oz/170-g Alaskan or Pacific halibut fillets
1 Sea salt
1 Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Carrots
2 small bunches orange, red, or yellow baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Sea salt
1 shallot, thinly sliced
Yogurt Sauce
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
3/4 cup/180 ml whole-milk yogurt
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 Sea salt
1 Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley

Steps:

Prepare the halibut: Toast the coriander and fennel seeds in a medium frying pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and crush with a mortar and pestle, or transfer to a clean spice grinder. Grind to a fine powder. Add the turmeric and cayenne. Set aside 1/4 teaspoon of the spice blend; reserve the remaining spice blend.
Lay out your halibut on a baking sheet/tray and season with salt and pepper. Brush or drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and rub the remaining spice mixture over the fish on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Prepare the carrots: While the fish rests, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill another bowl with ice and water to create an ice bath. When the water boils, add the carrots and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to the ice bath with a slotted spoon. Pull them out after about 2 minutes and set aside.
Make the yogurt sauce: Toast the mustard seeds in a pan the same way you did with the coriander and fennel seeds. Crush or grind and stir together with yogurt, olive oil, and grated ginger. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl.
When the table is set, heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the halibut fillets to the pan and let cook untouched until they begin to release easily from the pan, about 4 minutes. Gently flip and cook the other side until the fish is just cooked through but still slightly translucent in the center. Remove the fish to the platter.
Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in another large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Season with salt. Add the shallot and cook until just beginning to soften but still purple, about 2 minutes. Pull from the heat and transfer the carrots to a plate or platter. Add the 1/4 teaspoon reserved spice blend to the residual oil in the pan. Spoon the flavored oil over the carrots and finish with parsley.
Serve fish and carrots on 2 pretty plates with carrots. Drizzle with yogurt sauce or serve the sauce in a small bowl alongside.