This recipe for oil-poached fish has a very short ingredient list and is one of the easiest dishes to make — so you’d never expect it to deliver so much flavor and flakiness.
To poach a fillet of fish, you need to do nothing more than cook it gently and slowly in a bath of good olive oil, alongside cherry tomatoes, herbs, and garlic. Oil-poaching brings out the subtler qualities of a species like Pacific halibut, transforming this meaty and firm white fish into a delicately flake-able fillet. Meanwhile, the surrounding ingredients break down gently and infuse their flavor into the oil, becoming a delicious melange to pour over the fish when whisked together for serving.
Other species of white fish can also be substituted to a similar effect. For instance, oil-poaching is a great approach to cooking Pacific cod perfectly, if you find that it usually is a bit tough in texture. Lingcod’s delicate nature is amplified when poached in oil. You should also consider poaching Pacific halibut cheeks, if you have them in your kitchen — but cut down cook time, as fish cheeks cook quickly and are best served medium-rare for peak flakiness.
Any leftover infused olive oil can be used in place of regular olive oil for another meal during the week. Try using it to make Pacific Halibut with Crispy Smashed Potatoes or Mediterranean Baked Pacific Halibut. Leftover olive oil can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to a week.
