Alaskan Halibut Cooked on the Plate with Tomato Confit

from a San Francisco Chronicle, August 4, 2004

recommended by Jeanne Milligan

serves 4 as a main course

Tomato Confit:

4 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes (such as Brandywine or Cherokee Purple)

2 sprigs of basil

1 sprig of mint

cloves from 1 small head of garlic, peeled

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

the Halibut:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds halibut, cut on the bias into 1/8 inch-thick slices

sea salt to taste

Tomato Confit: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Core the tomatoes and cut each tomato in half through its equator. Putherbsinanoven-proofdishjust large enough to hold the tomatoes. Place tomato halves skin-side down on theherbs. The tomatoes should fit snugly,but not be mashed. Wedgethe garlic cloves into the spaces between the tomato halves. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and sprinkle sea salt and hot pepper flakes evenly on top.

Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with olive oil and juices. When done, the tomatoes should have a melting texture and be lightly caramelized. Remove the baking dish from the oven,transfer the tomatoes into another dish and let cool for about 1 hour.

Gently remove the skin from the tomatoes. The flesh should fall apart into the dish. There is no need to mash, since the confit should be left pulpy. If the confit is too watery (depends on the tomatoes), put it in a saucepan and reduce over medium heat until it reaches the right consistency. When done, combine with the garlic cloves.

The confit may be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days, or it can be frozen. You will use about halfofthis recipe for the halibut; the remainder can be tossed over pasta or spread on grilled toast.

The Halibut: Have the confit at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Divide the olive oil among 4 oven-proof dinner plates and even it out with your fingertips. Gently place the slices ofhalibut on each plate and arrange so that they follow the shape ofthe inner rim ofthe plate, but do not overlap. Season with salt. Place the plates with the halibut into the oven and bake for 2 minutes, or until the fish is just opaque. Do not cook the halibut all the way in the oven; it will finish cooking on the plate out ofthe oven. Spoon the tomato confit over the fish, including the garlic cloves with some ofthe oil and juices.

This utterly simple and almost instant dish underscores the importance of fresh and fresh-cutfish. It is best if the fish is cut on the day it is to be served. Holding the knife blade at an angle, you can slice 1/8 inch thin slices that can be 3 to 4 inches wide.

We served the Cauliflower "Rice " with Broccoli and Mustard Butter in the center of the plate. Perfect combination. We paired this with a pinot noir from Oregon, which worked well. If you prefer a white, we recommend an Alsatian Riesling.