# Lingcod with Onion-Garlic Tahina, Harissa Broccolini, Za’atar Delicata and Butter-Basted Peaches > Crisp-skinned lingcod gets a generous blanket of mellow onion-garlic tahina, with lemon keeping the sesame richness bright. Harissa broccolini and za’atar-roasted delicata bring heat, browned edges, and sweetness, followed by warm peaches basted in lightly browned butter. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/pan-seared-lingcod-with-onion-garlic-tahina-harissa-broccolini-za-atar-delicata - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2021-08-27 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Lingcod with Onion-Garlic Tahina, Harissa Broccolini, Za’atar Delicata and Butter-Basted Peaches](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Faf01ea1bde778bf9.jpg) ## Crisp-Skinned Lingcod Dry skin and steady pan contact give lean lingcod a crisp exterior without overcooking its large, delicate flakes. ### Ingredients - 4 pieces skin-on lingcod fillet, 6–7 ounces each, scaled and pin bones removed - 2 tablespoons ghee - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Pat the fish very dry, particularly the skin. Season with salt and pepper just before cooking. 2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ghee, then place the fish skin-side down. Press gently with a spatula for the first 30 seconds to keep the skin flat. 3. Reduce the heat to medium and cook skin-side down for 5–7 minutes, until the skin is golden and releases readily. Work in batches if necessary rather than crowding the pan. 4. Turn carefully and cook for another 2–5 minutes, depending on thickness, until the center reaches 145°F and separates into moist flakes. If thick pieces brown before cooking through, finish in a 350°F oven for a few minutes. 5. Transfer skin-side up to warm plates and sauce immediately before serving. ### Notes - Keep sauce off a small strip of skin if you want some crispness to remain visible and intact. ## Onion-Garlic Tahina Sauce Softened onion supplies sweetness and body, while tahini and lemon make a rich but lively sauce without cream. ### Ingredients - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced - 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 1 tablespoon olive oil - 1/2 cup well-stirred tahini - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 1/2 cup water, plus more as needed - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste ### Instructions 1. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the measured salt. Cover and sweat for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned. Add a splash of water if it begins to catch. 2. Add the garlic and cook gently for 4–5 minutes, until completely softened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. 3. Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, remaining salt, and water. It will initially tighten, then loosen into a pale sauce. 4. Add the onion and garlic with their cooking juices. Pulse briefly with an immersion blender, leaving a little onion texture. 5. Adjust with water, a tablespoon at a time, until thick but easily spoonable. Taste for salt and lemon. Serve lukewarm, warming gently without boiling if needed. ### Notes - Tahini varies in thickness; the finished sauce should mound softly over the fish rather than run across the plate. ## Harissa Broccolini Roasting concentrates the broccolini's sweetness, while harissa and lemon coat the stems and florets with spicy, tangy juices. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 pounds broccolini, woody ends trimmed and thick stalks split lengthwise - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 2 tablespoons gluten-free harissa paste, or less to taste - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice - 1 tablespoon water - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, adjusted for the harissa ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the broccolini with the olive oil and salt and spread across a rimmed sheet pan. 2. Roast for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until the stems are nearly tender and the florets have browned tips. 3. Mix the harissa with the lemon juice and water. Toss with the hot broccolini, then return to the oven for 3–5 minutes, until glossy and tender with a little bite left in the stems. 4. Taste and adjust salt or lemon before serving. ### Notes - Start with 1 tablespoon if your harissa is very hot, adding more after roasting. ## Za’atar-Roasted Delicata Squash Delicata's edible skin holds the crescents together while their cut faces caramelize. Adding most of the za’atar after roasting keeps its herbs and sesame fragrant. ### Ingredients - 2 medium delicata squash, about 2 pounds total - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free za’atar blend - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, reduced if the za’atar is salted - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Halve the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut into 3/4-inch-thick crescents. Leave the skin on. 2. Toss with the olive oil and salt. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan with a flat cut face against the pan. 3. Roast for 15–18 minutes, flip, and roast another 10–17 minutes, until deeply browned at the edges and tender when pierced. 4. Toss the hot squash gently with the za’atar and lemon juice, keeping the browned crescents intact. ## Butter-Basted Peaches A quick sear browns ripe peaches without collapsing them. Butter added at lower heat becomes a nutty sauce for the fruit's warm juices. ### Ingredients - 4 medium ripe but firm peaches, pitted and quartered - 1 tablespoon ghee - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter - 1 pinch fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Pat the cut surfaces of the peaches dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ghee. 2. Arrange the peach wedges on a cut side, working in batches if necessary. Sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, until well browned, then turn onto the other cut side for 1–2 minutes. 3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter and salt. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the peaches for 2–3 minutes, until the fruit is warmed through and just tender and the butter smells nutty. 4. Remove from the heat before the butter's milk solids turn black. Divide the peaches among bowls and spoon over all the buttery pan juices. ### Notes - Very ripe peaches need less time; stop while the wedges still hold their shape. ## Overall Timing / Workflow The vegetables share an oven temperature, and the sauce can wait while the fish cooks. Making dessert after the main course keeps the peaches warm and intact. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Start sweating the onion for the tahina sauce and prepare the squash. 2. 0:10 — Put the squash in the oven. Trim the broccolini and prepare its harissa dressing. 3. 0:20 — Add the broccolini on a separate pan. Finish and blend the tahina sauce; hold lukewarm. 4. 0:25 — Flip the squash. Dry and season the fish, then heat its skillet. 5. 0:30 — Begin cooking the fish. Dress the broccolini with harissa for its final few minutes in the oven. 6. 0:40–0:50 — Check the fish for doneness, finish the squash with za’atar, and plate the main course. If vegetables finish first, hold loosely covered for a few minutes. 7. After the main course — Quarter and sear the peaches, butter-baste, and serve immediately. ## Plating Keeping the vegetables in distinct groups preserves the contrast between creamy sesame sauce, spicy greens, and sweet roasted squash. ### Ingredients - 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems ### Instructions 1. Scatter a few cilantro sprigs onto each warm plate and set the lingcod over them, skin-side up. 2. Spoon a generous layer of onion-garlic tahina over the fish, leaving an edge of browned skin exposed. 3. Arrange the delicata crescents along one side and the harissa broccolini alongside, spooning its red cooking juices over the greens rather than into the tahina. 4. Serve the butter-basted peach wedges separately in small bowls with their warm butter sauce. ## Leftover Path Separate storage prevents the sauce from softening everything and allows gentle reheating of the lean fish. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in separate airtight containers. Use fish within 2 days and the vegetables, sauce, and peaches within 3 days. 2. Warm fish covered in a 275°F oven with a small splash of water until heated through; for a food-safe leftover reheat, bring the center to 165°F. Alternatively, flake it cold over leftover vegetables and dress with tahina. 3. Reheat the squash and broccolini on a sheet pan at 400°F for 8–12 minutes. Loosen chilled tahina with water and a little lemon juice before serving. 4. Warm peaches gently in a small skillet with their butter juices, or eat chilled. --- 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.