Halibut pepper puttanesca recipe

Puttanesca is a gutsy sauce, more often paired with spaghetti. The salty, fiery and sharp flavours offer an acquired taste, but its beauty lies in the simplicity of ingredients. Being such a store cupboard staple with no need for fresh ingredients, it proves popular when the fridge is looking bare. Use the sauce with pasta, meat and even as a topping to bruschetta. We’ve teamed it with a beautiful fillet of fish and added colourful peppers to the sauce to turn this into something really special for two.

Ingredients

• 2 halibut fillets
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 4 anchovy fillets
• Pinch of dried chilli flakes
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow pepper, cut into long strips
• 1 red pepper, cut into long strips
• 1 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 12 black olives, halved
• 1tbsp capers, drained

Method

1. In a pan, gently warm the garlic, chilli flakes and anchovies in the oil until the anchovies start to disintegrate to a paste. Add the strips of peppers and fry for 2-3mins. Pour over the tomatoes and simmer the sauce for 10mins.
2. Meanwhile take the halibut fillets and brush them in a little olive oil, before charring them either side on a griddle. The aim is not to cook them through, but simply seal the outer layer. Once you have achieved this, place them gently amongst the simmering sauce and allow them to cook through for a further 10-15mins. If the sauce begins to get too dry, simply add a dash or two of water to loosen it again.
3. Once everything is cooked, plate the halibut fillets on a plate and stir through the capers and olives into the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve with a crisp green salad and crusty bread.