# Yellowtail Crudo and Roasted Halibut with Summer Beans, Tomatoes, and Golden Zucchini > Cool yellowtail crudo opens the meal with lime, avocado, cucumber, and a little green-chile heat. Roasted halibut follows over creamy beans and juicy summer tomatoes, with deeply browned zucchini and plenty of fresh herbs. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/summer-bay-style-ceviche-roasted-zucchini-warm-butter-bean-salad-with-peach-toma - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2025-07-03 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Yellowtail Crudo and Roasted Halibut with Summer Beans, Tomatoes, and Golden Zucchini](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F426f2ae9f62b2270.jpg) ## Yellowtail Crudo with Avocado, Cucumber, and Lime Thin fish slices take on citrus quickly, while avocado softens the acidity and cucumber supplies a clean crunch. Dress immediately before serving to preserve the fish's delicate texture. ### Ingredients - 12 oz skinless, boneless yellowtail suitable for raw consumption, kept very cold - 1 large ripe avocado - 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced - 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced, to taste - 3 tbsp fresh lime juice - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste - 1/4 cup cilantro leaves ### Instructions 1. Chill four shallow plates. Using a sharp slicing knife, cut the cold yellowtail across the grain into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Arrange in a single, slightly overlapping layer on the plates; refrigerate until ready to serve. 2. Whisk the lime juice, olive oil, and salt together. Taste for bright acidity and gentle salinity. 3. Slice the avocado into slender wedges. Arrange over the fish with the cucumber and serrano. 4. Spoon the dressing evenly over the four plates, scatter with cilantro, and serve immediately. ### Notes - Buy fish from a supplier who confirms it is appropriate for raw service and has received parasite-destruction treatment where required; ordinary home freezing is not a reliable substitute. Keep at or below 40°F until preparation. Citrus does not make raw fish safe. - People who are pregnant, immunocompromised, elderly, or very young should avoid raw fish. ## Gently Roasted Halibut Moderate oven heat keeps a thick white-fish fillet moist without building a heavy crust. Its mild flavor leaves room for the tomatoes, herbs, and bean juices. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 lb skinless halibut, cut into four evenly sized portions - 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 3/4 tsp kosher salt - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a shallow baking dish. 2. Pat the halibut dry, coat with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange with space between the portions. 3. Roast for 12–18 minutes, depending on thickness, until the center reaches 145°F and the flesh separates into moist flakes. Begin checking early with an instant-read thermometer. 4. Transfer promptly to the bean-and-tomato plates and spoon a little of the salad's juices over the fish. ### Notes - Use similarly thick portions so they finish together; thin tail pieces will cook faster. ## Warm Cranberry Beans with Summer Tomatoes and Herbs Warm, creamy beans absorb the tomato juices and lemon dressing. Adding the tomatoes off heat keeps their fresh texture and creates a light sauce for the fish. ### Ingredients - 3 cups cooked cranberry beans, drained, or cooked cannellini beans - 1/3 cup reserved bean cooking liquid or water - 1 1/4 lb ripe red and yellow tomatoes, cut into irregular bite-size pieces - 3 scallions, thinly sliced - 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice - 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Toss the tomatoes with the salt, lemon juice, and olive oil in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes to release their juices. 2. Combine the beans and bean liquid in a saucepan. Warm gently over medium-low heat for 5–8 minutes, stirring carefully so the beans remain intact. 3. Fold the warm beans and any remaining liquid into the tomatoes. Add the scallions, most of the cilantro, and black pepper. 4. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon. Keep the mixture juicy rather than soupy, and reserve the remaining cilantro for plating. ### Notes - This timing assumes fully cooked beans. If using canned beans, rinse them and use water in place of bean cooking liquid. ## Golden Zucchini with Garlic and Scallions A hot pan and uncrowded batches create browned edges without turning the zucchini watery. Garlic and scallions go in late so their flavor stays sweet rather than scorched. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 lb small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch half-moons - 2 tbsp ghee - 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced - 2 scallions, thinly sliced - 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste - 2 tsp fresh lemon juice ### Instructions 1. Pat the zucchini thoroughly dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add half the ghee. 2. Add half the zucchini in a single layer. Leave undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until deeply golden underneath, then turn and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining ghee and zucchini. 3. Return all the zucchini to the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic, scallions, and salt; toss for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is softened. 4. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Taste and serve while the edges are still distinct and browned. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Prepare the cold starter first but leave it undressed. The beans and zucchini can wait briefly while the halibut roasts. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 350°F and chill the crudo plates. Cut the tomatoes and start their short marinade. 2. 0:10 — Slice and plate the yellowtail; refrigerate. Prepare the cucumber, chile, herbs, and crudo dressing, keeping them separate. 3. 0:20 — Cut the zucchini, garlic, and scallions. Begin browning the zucchini and gently warming the beans. 4. 0:30 — Season the halibut and place it in the oven. Finish the zucchini and fold the warm beans into the tomatoes. 5. 0:35 — Slice the avocado, finish the crudo, and serve the starter. Check the halibut early and remove each portion as it reaches 145°F. 6. 0:45–0:55 — Assemble and serve the main course. For a leisurely gap between courses, delay putting the halibut in the oven until the starter has been served. ## Plating Separate cold and warm courses preserve the intended contrast. A shallow bed of beans catches the fish juices without hiding the zucchini's browned surface. ### Instructions 1. Serve the crudo on chilled shallow plates with avocado wedges spaced between cucumber rounds, chile slices, and cilantro. Spoon the dressing around and over the fish without submerging it. 2. For the main course, spoon beans and some tomatoes slightly off-center on each plate. Set the halibut over the beans and place more red and yellow tomato pieces across the top. 3. Arrange the zucchini alongside in a distinct mound. Finish the fish and beans with the reserved cilantro and a spoonful of tomato dressing. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects the vegetables' texture and allows the cooked fish to be reheated gently. Raw dressed fish is best treated as a serve-now component. ### Instructions 1. Prepare only as much crudo as will be eaten immediately; do not plan to store or re-serve dressed raw fish. 2. Refrigerate cooked halibut, beans and tomatoes, and zucchini in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use within 3 days. 3. Reheat the beans in a saucepan with a splash of water. Warm the zucchini separately in a skillet. 4. Reheat leftover halibut covered with a little water in a low oven until it reaches 165°F, or flake properly chilled fish into the beans and eat cold with fresh lemon. --- 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.