Baked Halibut with Grapes and Olive Oil-Smashed Potatoes

This is from Dr. Annie Fenn’s The Brain Health Kitchen Cookbook - Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food

Building on the resveratrol, the grapes ‘collapse into a syrupy sauce as they roast in the oven with apple cider vinegar’. The purple and red potatoes are especially rich in flavonoids. Small potatoes provide a better skin-to-flesh ratio.  I love roasted grapes as well as roasted radishes, and the syrup was excellent on both of them.

I made numerous adjustments to the recipe, as noted below.  It was delicious, but then my husband informed me that Halibut is a bottom feeder, so not so healthy from a fish point of view.  I’ll try this on cod or haddock.  Gotta check out the fishie info!

I used a microwave baked potato instead of boiling new potatoes. And used only 1/2 as much oil, and much more grapes than the recipe called for.  Also, I didn’t have thyme so I used a combo of fresh basil and mint. 

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 pounds small potatoes - new potatoes or fingerlings - boiled, or a sweet potato microwaved 

2-4 Tbsp EVOO

1.5 teaspoons, or less, kosher salt

4 ounces or more seedless red or black grapes, halved lengthwise, about 1.5 - 2 cups)

(I also added some sliced radishes to the grapes)

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp anise seeds or crushed fennel seeds

4 x 4 oz halibut fillets

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (good with basil and mint instead)

4 thyme sprigs (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment

2. Put small potatoes in a steamer, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a gentle simmer.  Cook until very tender, 18-24 minutes.  Drain water. While hot, small potatoes with a potato masher or wooden spoon.  Add 3 Tbsp of the oil and 1/2 tsp of the salt.  Mix until part-chunky.  Cover and keep warm on the stove.

3. Toss the grapes, vinegar, anise seeds, oil and 1/2 tsp of the salt on the prepared baking sheet.  Roast for 18-20 minutes (10 is enough) until the grapes are soft and release their juice.

4. Season the fish with the pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.  Remove the pan with the grapes and turn down the heat to 350.  Nestle the halibut in the sauce, skin side down if there is skin, and sprinkle with the thyme leaves, or other herbs.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes until the flesh is opaque throughout.

5.  Serve, dividing the smashed potatoes, halibut and grapes with sauce between four shallow bowls.  Garnish with the thyme sprigs and serve hot.