Slow-Cooked Fish With Citrus and Herbs 

By Andy Baraghani

Updated March 17, 2025

  • Emma Fishman for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(1,694)
Comments
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During Nowruz, the Persian New Year, it’s customary to serve fish alongside sabzi polo, buttery herbed saffron rice, as a nod to renewal and prosperity. Traditionally, white fish is smoked or fried, but this dish brings in many of the same key ingredients — fragrant saffron, fresh herbs and citrus — while embracing a more effortless, slow-roasted approach. A flaky white fish like cod or halibut works beautifully here, but salmon also works and tastes especially luxurious when bathed in olive oil, garlic and dill.

Featured in: 5 Herby, Bright and Brilliant Recipes for Nowruz

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings 

  • 1 teaspoon saffron threads 

  • 3 medium leeks, trimmed 

  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

  • 1 lemon (preferably Meyer), very thinly sliced into rounds, seeds picked out 

  • 1 clementine or mandarin orange, very thinly sliced, seeds picked out 

  • Salt 

  • 2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless halibut, cod or salmon, preferably one large center-cut piece

  • ½ cup coarsely chopped dill or tarragon or a combination 

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

9 grams carbs; 93 milligrams cholesterol; 450 calories; 21 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 30 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 658 milligrams sodium; 36 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Crush the saffron threads into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, use a spoon to crush it as finely as you can.) Dump out the ground saffron into a small bowl and pour 3 tablespoons of warm water over it. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Cut the leeks in half lengthwise then coarsely chop. Give the leeks a good rinse to get rid of any dirt or sand.

  3. Step 3

    Heat ¼ cup of oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and all citrus slices, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic and citrus have softened and everything smells very delicious, 2 to 3 minutes. Slide the skillet off the heat and scoop out half the leek mixture into a small bowl.

  4. Step 4

    Generously season the fish with salt on all sides and place in the center of the skillet over the leeks. Pour the saffron water over and around the fish, then top with the remaining leek mixture. Scatter the dill all over and pour in the remaining ½ cup oil. Transfer the skillet to the oven.

  5. Step 5

    Bake until the fish is opaque and easily flakes off with a fork around the thickest part, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve as is in the skillet or use two forks to tear the fish into large pieces and transfer to a platter. Spoon all the leeks, citrus and fat over, taste and season with more salt if needed, and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,694 user ratings
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Comments

Michael UWS

Everyone just STOP. This is the best dish I have ever made from NYT cooking. I did reduce the amount of saffron a bit: it felt more like a flirt than persistence. In this very unclear national and global moment, this dish provided my family with a quiet assurance that, with a little effort, joy and gratitude can be found. Fragrant, copious, and nourishing: there is the possibility of a brighter tomorrow. My husband said he’d pay $50 for this dish in a city restaurant. It’s that good.

Nanette

@Michael UWS You wrote this last year, and here we are. I have chills reading your words. I’m not Persian. I’m Jewish. We will make this dish for Nowruz and likely again next month for Passover. Hoping for a better future for us all.

Erin in Napa

This is one of my favorite recipes from NYT Cooking and I do not say that lightly. I used a large piece of salmon and followed the instructions exactly. It was so easy to prepare and is completely delicious! I wanted something to soak up the delicious oil and flavors so I prepared skinny egg pasta and tossed the pasta with the oil from the pan and then set the salmon on top. Can’t wait to have this again!!

Countess Hope

If you don't have saffron on hand, dried tarragon makes a nice substitute!

Julie

oh my. I tried this tonight, and chose a 1.2lb center cut fresh halibut filet. I used 1/2 tsp saffron; zested a Meyer lemon, 1 tangerine, and 1 small Valencia, and coarsely chopped supremes of the citrus filets minus seeds, discarding the white pith because of the comments about bitterness. I used one huge leek, 5 garlic cloves thinly sliced, and the whole 3/4 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons coarsely chopped tarragon. Served over thin egg noodles with a side salad. It was divine!!

Teeka

Halibut and white fish are common gifts in Alaska, and this is by far my absolute favorite way to make halibut! It may in fact be one of my favorite fish recipes ever! I also balked at the amount of oil, but I trust Baraghani's recipes and followed it accordingly, and was thrilled with the outcome. It went beautifully with the sabzi polo.

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