Usually served as a contorno, or side dish, broccoli rabe can also be the basis of a quick sauce, as it is here. Leaving the rabe a little damp after blanching helps it steam and nicely wilt when added to the hot pan. Serve this dish with roasted potatoes (as pictured) or buttered string beans.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Red pepper flakes
- 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 1 large bunch of broccoli rabe (about 1 pound), stalks trimmed,
- leaves cut into 2-inch pieces, blanched, shocked, and drained but
- left a little damp
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock
- ½ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 1 ounce)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 skinless halibut fillets
How to Make It
- Heat a large wide heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and tip and tilt the pan to coat it, heating the oil until it is shimmering and almost smoking. Add the garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and anchovies and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the garlic and red pepper flakes are lightly golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and carefully toss the ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
- Add half of the broccoli rabe mixture to a blender or food processor. Pour in the vegetable stock and puree just until smooth. Coarsely chop the remaining broccoli rabe and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the broccoli rabe puree, cheese, and extra virgin olive oil and stir until incorporated.
- Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the canola oil and tip and tilt the pan to coat it, heating the oil until it is shimmering and almost smoking. Season the halibut fillets with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, skinned side up. Cook until the fillets are golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Gently turn the fillets over with tongs or a spatula and cook until the flesh is white and flaky and just cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Transfer the fillets to dinner plates, spoon the broccoli rabe sauce over them, and serve.
- Variation To serve the broccoli rabe as a side dish, season the sautéed broccoli with salt and pepper, stir in a few drops of lemon juice, and transfer to a serving bowl, then drizzle with olive oil and top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
