Moroccan Roasted Halibut

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion (1/4 inch dice)
• 4 cloves garlic, very finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron thread
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches long)
• 2 pieces orange zest, long strips,removed with a paring knife
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup canned chick-peas, drained and rinsed (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 cup golden raisin
• 6 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, for garnish
• 6 halibut steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick (6-8 oz. each)

Recipe

• 1 place the olive oil, onion and garlic in a heavy pot over low heat and cook, stirring, until onions are very soft, 15 minutes.
• 2 add the cardamom, saffron, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, orange zest, broth, and salt and pepper.
• 3 raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil.
• 4 reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
• 5 then stir in the chickpeas, raisins and tomatoes.
• 6 add the parsley and the 1/4 cup mint and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
• 7 preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
• 8 remove the cinnamon stick and the orange zest from the vegetable mixture.
• 9 place the cooked vegetables in a 13x9 inch baking dish and arrange the fish on top.
• 10 spoon some of the vegetable liquid over the fish.
• 11 bake until the fish is baked through and flakes easily when tested with a fork, 15 minutes.
• 12 (i baked mine about 10 minutes longer.).
• 13 serve the fish and the vegetables over couscous and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons fresh mint.