Oven Roasted Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes & Leeks
(compliment of the amazing Liza Utter of Liza America’s Host )

4 pieces of Halibut (or 1 big one that you can cut into 4)

4 large leeks, cut into 1/4 inch peices (whites and light green parts only)

1/2 – 1 cup olive oil (you will feel this out)

3 pints cherry tomatoes (I put more because I LOVE them – your call!)

Salt and pepper to taste

1.Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add 2-4 tablespoons olive oil (enough to just coat 1/4 of the leeks).

2. Once the oil is hot,  add 1/4 of the chopped leeks to the pan. You want to crisp these up to use as a garnish to finish the meal, so get them nice and brown and crispy, but don’t burn them! Once they are nice and crispy, put them aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to catch the grease.

3. Using the same pan, turn the heat down to low. Add about 1/2 cup of olive oil, or however much you need to coat the entire bottom of the pan. The olive oil is going to be part of the sauce, so you can be generous with it!

4. Once the oil is hot, add the rest of the leeks. Sweat them for 10-15 minutes until they are soft, buttery and translucent. You can add salt and pepper at this stage, or you can wait until the end.

5. Once the leeks are soft, add the cherry tomatoes. If the tomatoes are big, I like to put them in half. If you don’t feel like doing that, I just cut half of them in half, and left the rest of them whole. It’s up to you!

6. Once the tomatoes are in the pan, turn up the flame so as to let the oil, tomatoes and leeks simmer together for about 15 minutes.  Let everything reduce together. After 15 minutes or so, put the cover over the pan on low flame and let them cook out for another 15-20 minutes. If you haven’t seasoned with salt and pepper yet, do it now.

7. Meanwhile, wash and dry your fish. Place in a baking dish. Coat with a little bit of olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and salt and pepper on both sides. Bake at 375F for about 15 minutes – it depends on how big the fish is. I kept checking it every 10 minutes, and took it out when it looked like it was almost ready (carry over cooking will occur once the fish it out of the oven, which will cook it to perfection).

8. To serve, make a bed on the plate with leeks and tomatoes. Then place a piece of fish on top, followed by more leeks and tomatoes, followed by the crispy leeks you prepared early.

Serves 4