# Halibut with Buttery Ginger Heirloom Tomatoes, Olive Oil Mash, and Broiled Romano Beans > Gently roasted halibut sits over olive oil mashed potatoes, surrounded by juicy heirloom tomatoes warmed with ginger and butter. Blistered Romano beans bring a little char and snap, while scallion greens keep the whole bowl bright. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/halibut-with-ginger-heirloom-tomatoes-olive-oil-mashed-potatoes-broiled-romano-b - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2022-06-23 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Halibut with Buttery Ginger Heirloom Tomatoes, Olive Oil Mash, and Broiled Romano Beans](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Ffc9207aa504de220.jpg) ## Gently Roasted Halibut Moderate oven heat keeps lean halibut moist and leaves its delicate flavor clear against the ginger-tomato butter. ### Ingredients - 4 6-ounce skinless halibut portions, about 1–1½ inches thick - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Pat the halibut dry and place in a lightly oiled baking dish with space between the portions. 2. Rub with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Roast for 12–20 minutes, depending on thickness, checking early with an instant-read thermometer. The center should reach 145°F and separate into moist flakes under gentle pressure. 4. Transfer promptly to the prepared bowls and spoon a little warm tomato butter over the fish. ### Notes - Choose similarly thick portions so they finish together; remove thinner pieces as soon as they are done. ## Buttery Ginger Heirloom Tomatoes Briefly cooking ripe tomatoes preserves their shape while releasing enough juice to make a sauce. Butter rounds out fresh ginger without obscuring the tomatoes. ### Ingredients - 1½ pounds ripe red and yellow heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into large wedges - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced - 1½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste - 3 scallions, green parts sliced, for finishing ### Instructions 1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a wide saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and ginger and sweat for 3–4 minutes without browning. 2. Add the tomatoes and salt. Cook gently for 5–7 minutes, turning carefully, until the edges soften and release juice but substantial pieces remain. 3. Reduce the heat to low. Swirl in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, a tablespoon at a time, to make a glossy, loose sauce. Do not boil after the butter is incorporated. 4. Add the lemon juice and taste for salt and acidity. Reserve the scallion greens to scatter over the finished bowls. ### Notes - If the tomatoes release excessive liquid, lift out the pieces and briefly reduce the juices before adding the finishing butter. If too dry, loosen with a tablespoon of water. ## Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes Yukon Gold potatoes make a creamy base without milk or cream. Olive oil adds a savory, fruity richness that works with the tomato juices. ### Ingredients - 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces - ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil - ½–¾ cup reserved hot potato cooking water, as needed - to taste fine sea salt - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Cover the potatoes with cold water by 1 inch in a saucepan and salt the water generously. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, until completely tender. 2. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain. Return the potatoes to the warm pan over low heat for 1 minute to evaporate surface moisture. 3. Pass through a ricer or mash thoroughly by hand. Fold in the olive oil, then enough hot cooking water to make a soft, spoonable mash. 4. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm over a barely simmering water bath, loosening with additional hot water before serving if needed. ### Notes - Avoid a blender or food processor, which will make the potatoes gluey. ## Broiled Romano Beans Close broiler heat blisters the broad pods while keeping them substantial enough to contrast with the soft potatoes and tomatoes. ### Ingredients - 1 pound Romano beans, stem ends trimmed - 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice ### Instructions 1. Heat the broiler to high with a rack about 5–6 inches from the element. 2. Dry the beans thoroughly, toss with olive oil and salt, and arrange in one layer on a metal sheet pan without parchment. 3. Broil for 8–12 minutes, turning halfway through and watching closely, until blistered in patches and tender with a slight bite. 4. Toss with lemon juice just before serving. ### Notes - For very thick or mature beans, blanch in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, drain, and dry thoroughly before oiling and broiling. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Broiling the beans first frees the oven for gentle fish cooking. The mash holds well while the tomatoes and halibut finish. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Prepare the potatoes and put them on to cook. Heat the broiler. 2. 0:10 — Trim and dress the beans, cut the tomatoes, and prepare the ginger, shallot, and scallions. 3. 0:15 — Broil the beans, turning and checking frequently. Season the halibut. 4. 0:25 — Remove the beans and set the oven to 325°F, briefly opening the door to release excess heat. Mash the potatoes and keep them warm. 5. 0:30 — Once the oven has cooled to 325°F, put in the fish. Start the ginger tomatoes on the stovetop. 6. 0:40 — Finish the tomato sauce with butter and lemon. Check the fish temperature and loosen the mash if necessary. 7. 0:45–0:50 — When the fish is cooked, assemble and serve. If needed, warm the beans in the oven alongside the fish for its final 2–3 minutes. ## Plating A shallow bowl catches the tomato butter and lets it mingle with the potatoes while the beans retain their charred texture. ### Instructions 1. Spoon a generous bed of olive oil mashed potatoes into each of four warmed shallow bowls. 2. Set a halibut portion in the center and spoon the tomatoes and their buttery juices around it, with a little sauce over the fish. 3. Arrange the Romano beans along one side and scatter the reserved scallion greens over the bowls. Serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects the beans from becoming soggy and allows the delicate fish to be reheated gently. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in separate airtight containers. Use the fish within 2 days and the potatoes, tomatoes, and beans within 3 days. 2. Reheat the potatoes with a splash of water over low heat. Warm the tomatoes separately, stirring gently. 3. For hot leftovers, nestle the fish into the tomatoes, cover, and heat gently until it reaches 165°F; avoid boiling the sauce. 4. Alternatively, flake the cold halibut into a salad with chopped leftover beans and tomatoes, using the chilled tomato juices and a little lemon as dressing. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.