Clean protein, braised fennel that caramelizes at the edges, farro toasted before cooking for depth. Elegant for a batch meal.
Active~30 min
Hands-off40 min braise
Holds4–5 days
DifficultyIntermediate
Per Serving40P · 34C · 11F · 395 kcal
Servings
Base recipe = 1 serving. Scale for batch.
Ingredients
Protein
Halibut fillet
Produce
Fennel bulb (large), wedged
Fresh thyme
Grains
Farro, pearled (dry)
Sunflower or pumpkin seeds (toasted)
Liquids
Fish or vegetable stock
White wine (dry)
Fat
Butter (unsalted)
Olive oil
Seasoning
Salt, white pepper
Method
1
Toast & Cook Farro
Add dry farro to a dry pot over medium heat. Toast 2–3 min until it smells nutty and starts to color. Add stock and white wine (1:2.5 ratio). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 25–30 min until tender with a little chew remaining. Season, finish with half the butter and toasted seeds.
25–30 min simmer
2
Braise Fennel
Cut fennel bulb into 1-inch wedges. Lay flat in a shallow oven-safe pan. Pour stock and wine around (not over) to come about halfway up. Dot with remaining butter, season with salt and thyme. Cover tightly with foil. Braise at 325°F for 40 min until tender and edges are starting to caramelize.
40 min at 325°FDon't pour liquid over the fennel or you'll steam it instead of braise. You want caramelized edges, not waterlogged wedges.
3
Sear Halibut
Pat halibut completely dry. Season with salt and white pepper. Get a cast iron screaming hot — at least 375°F surface temp. Add oil, then immediately place halibut skin-side down. Press gently for 10 seconds. Do not touch for 3 min. Flip. Transfer to 400°F oven, cook 6 min to an internal temp of 130–135°F at the thickest point. Pull, rest 2 min (carries to ~140°F).
3 min sear + 6 min ovenHalibut goes dry fast. Pull at 130°F — carryover will finish it. Any longer and you're eating expensive rubber.
4
Plate
Spoon farro into center of plate or container. Lean braised fennel wedge against it. Rest halibut skin-side up on top. Spoon a few tablespoons of the fennel braising liquid around the plate.
Batch & Storage
Holds
4–5 days refrigerated. Reheat components slightly separate — fennel in its braising liquid at 325°F for 8 min. Halibut is best day-of but holds 2 days if you're okay with slightly less flaky texture. Reheat gently at 275°F 6–8 min, not microwave.
Batch Tips
Farro and braised fennel both scale easily — cook in bulk Sunday. Halibut is best cooked per-serving or in pairs. For a 4-serving batch, buy 4 portions, brine separately, sear in two passes. Keep halibut and fennel in separate containers so the fennel doesn't steam the fish.
Probe Temps
Pull halibut at 130°F. Rest 2 min. It carries to 140°F. Don't wait until 140°F on the probe — you'll overshoot into dry territory every time.
