Mediterranean dish delivers zesty satisfaction

If you are looking for a quick dish with big flavor and little advanced preparation, I suggest Mediterranean-style roasted halibut. This dish serves two, but you can double or even triple the recipe for a crowd.

It's difficult to find Seriously Simple dishes that deliver this much zesty satisfaction. I like to grill large pieces of fish, but I also like the idea of a quick roasting thinner cuts of halibut while preparing the rustic-style tomato sauce. Ask your fishmonger to cut a piece from the tail section, where the fish is much thinner than the center. The Mediterranean-style tomato and olive sauce complements the mustard coating.

I use unpeeled ripened tomatoes along with briny olive tapenade. I like the rustic texture of the peel; but if you don't like the peel in the sauce, just cut the skin on each tomato with a knife tip in a cross-like pattern, plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for about 20 seconds, drain, cool and peel the skin right off. Refrigerated tapenades that combine a mixture of unripened green and ripe black olives work great. This slightly salty component to the sauce adds an umami flavor to the finished condiment.

Halibut tends to be dry if overcooked. I like to cook filets that are about 1-inch thick, as they roast quickly. First a spray of lemon juice is sprinkled on top of the fish and then a mustard coating is amply spread on the fish, giving it lots of flavor and a moist texture. When roasted, the fish has a glistening brown topping and is perfectly moist inside. Top with a few spoonfuls of the tomato-olive sauce, garnish with basil, and serve with your favorite grain. Use a nice sauvignon blanc when making the sauce that you can also drink with the meal.

MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE ROASTED HALIBUT

SERVES 2

For the fish:

• Zest and juice of one lemon

• 1 pound filet of halibut, about 1-inch thick, cut toward the tail

• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

• Salt

• Freshly ground white pepper

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3 medium tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 tablespoon tapenade (olive paste)

• 1/2 cup dry white wine like sauvignon blanc

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped basil

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Basil leaves, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the fish on an aluminum covered baking sheet, and squeeze the lemon juice over the fish.

2. In a small bowl combine the lemon zest, mustard, mayonnaise and salt and pepper, and mix together to blend. Spread the coating evenly over the fish. Set aside.

3. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute tomatoes for about 4 minutes, or until nicely softened. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tapenade, wine and chopped basil, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 3 more minutes or until the mixture is a nice sauce consistency. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. (Remember, the olives are salty.) Remove from the heat.

4. Cut the fish in half, and place on serving plates. Spoon the sauce over the fish, garnish with basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Advance preparation: The fish may be prepared 4 hours in advance through Step 3, loosely covered and refrigerated. The tomato sauce can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, covered and kept at room temperature.

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Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Holidays," and also a James Beard award-winning radio show host.