Pan-Seared Halibut with Roasted Red Pepper Romesco, Crispy Fingerling Potatoes, and Charred Broccolini

Roast the peppers: Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat broiler to high. Place 2 whole red bell peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 15-18 minutes, turning every 5 minutes with tongs, until the skin is completely blackened and blistered on all sides. Transfer peppers to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the charred skin, remove stems and seeds, and roughly chop the flesh.

Prepare the vegetables: Scrub 1.5 lbs fingerling potatoes clean and slice lengthwise into halves. Trim the tough ends from 2 bunches of broccolini and rinse well. Peel and roughly chop 4 garlic cloves. Strip leaves from 6 sprigs of fresh thyme. Finely chop 1/2 bunch of parsley. Zest and juice 1 whole lemon.

Roast the potatoes: Reduce oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the halved fingerling potatoes with 3 tbsp olive oil, the fresh thyme leaves, salt, and black pepper. Arrange cut-side down in a single layer. Roast for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through, until deeply golden and crispy on the edges.

Make the romesco sauce: In a food processor, combine the roasted red pepper flesh, 0.5 cup roasted almonds, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, and 0.25 cup crushed tomatoes. Pulse until roughly chopped. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil until the sauce is smooth but still has texture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer to a small saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.

Char the broccolini: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add the broccolini in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook without moving for 3 minutes until charred on the bottom. Flip and char the other side for 2 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and toss for 30 seconds until fragrant. Season with salt, black pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Remove to a warm plate.

Sear the halibut: Pat 1.5 lbs halibut fillets completely dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and black pepper. In the same skillet used for broccolini (wipe clean if needed), heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Gently place the fillets in the pan and sear without moving for 4-5 minutes until a deep golden crust forms. Flip carefully, add 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan, and baste the fish with the melted butter for 2-3 minutes until just opaque in the center. Remove from heat.

Finish and plate: Spread a generous pool of warm romesco sauce on each of four dinner plates. Place one halibut fillet on top of the sauce. Arrange the crispy fingerling potatoes and charred broccolini alongside the fish. Drizzle the fish with any remaining pan butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon zest. Serve immediately with extra romesco on the side.