BRAISED HALIBUT WITH TAGLIARINI

Braised Halibut with Tagliarini image

Provided by Reed Hearon

Yield Serves 2

Number Of Ingredients 9

6 ounces fresh tagliarini or dried tagliarini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped, or 1 tablespoon chopped green garlic when available
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 anchovy fillets
2 halibut steaks or fillets (approximately 3/4 pound), skin on
1/2 cup dry Italian white wine
coarse or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
a few drops of fresh lemon juice, optional

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tagliarini and cook until about half-done, about 1 minute for fresh and 4 minutes for dried. (They will finish cooking in the braising liquid.) Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and set aside.
Warm the olive oil in a flameproof gratin dish or heavy oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the parsley and anchovies, pressing the anchovies with the tines of a fork. Continue to sauté until the parsley sizzles and the anchovies melt into the oil, about 3 minutes.
Add the fish and sauté it briefly on both sides until the edges of the fish are opaque, about 1 minute on each side. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and boil rapidly until it is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved pasta water and the noodles, distributing them around and under the fish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through and the pasta has begun to absorb the liquid, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve at once, directly from the dish. Sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice, if desired.