Recipes Halibut with Fresh Fennel and New Potatoes 2.0 (3,948) Add your rating & review Katy Sparks makes sure to use unblemished small fennel bulbs, which are usually more tender than big ones.Plus: More Seafood Recipes and Tips By Katy Sparks Katy Sparks Background Trained at Johnson & Wales in Providence, RI. Worked at The Quilted Giraffe and Mesa Grill, New York City. How she got into cooking After dropping out of Middlebury College, she made soups at a local café. First food memory "Smoked octopus that my father brought back from Chinatown when I was 14." Menu bomb Roasted squab on herb risotto with zucchini blossoms. Ingredient pick Long Island corn. Favorite equipment "I'm not a big equipment person. I keep my knives nice and sharp and use them instead of an industrial chopper." Favorite cookbook Anything written by Patricia Wells. Favorite place to eat Blue Ribbon, New York City. Favorite cocktail Straight-up Beefeater martini with a twist. Most tired trend "Casual American bistros, where the menus seem to be driven by price, not flavor." Secret of her success "My husband, who's the dishwasher at home, would say I'm successful because I use every pot and pan in the kitchen." Favorite 1 A.M. meal "Any kind of pasta; or steak if it was a really hard night at the restaurant." Food vice Bar nuts. Recipe tip Constantly baste filet mignon with melted butter while it's cooking to keep it juicy. Won Best New Chef at: Quilty's, New York (closed) Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 29, 2015 Print Rate It Share Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 2 pounds small new potatoes, halved 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 fennel bulb, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest Four 6-ounce skinless halibut fillets Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon Directions In a large pot of warm salted water, bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook over moderate heat until tender, 15 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Add the fennel and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the orange juice and zest. Set the halibut on the fennel; season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the fish is just cooked through, 8 minutes. Transfer the halibut to plates. Toss the potatoes with the fennel, sprinkle with the tarragon and serve with the fish. Rate it Print