Baked Halibut with Asparagus, Spring Onions, and Herbs
This is a fantastic spring dish because the herbs are in season and thriving in our gardens. Here, I sprinkled a teaspoon of thyme leaves over the onions and asparagus and rubbed the fish with freshly chopped tarragon. The freshest ingredients are the most crucial element of a recipe. For this dish, I chose halibut, which had just arrived at the fish market. I selected herbs that complemented the flavors of the fish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh halibut skinned
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced tarragon
- 7 or 8 spring onions thinly sliced
- 8 to 10 asparagus spears cleaned with tough ends snapped off
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 6 to 8 new potatoes parboiled
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Fresh breadcrumbs for topping
- Butter
Notes
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. You will need an 8×10½-inch baking dish large enough to hold the halibut and vegetables. Coat the fish in olive oil, seasoning it with salt, pepper, and tarragon. Scatter onions across the bottom of the dish, arrange asparagus over them, and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Add potatoes, wine, salt, and pepper. Then, place the fish on top of the asparagus. Top the fish with a handful of breadcrumbs and layer a few thin slices of butter over the breadcrumbs. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Cover the breadcrumbs with foil for the last 12 minutes of cooking to prevent them from browning too much.
Serves two.
Wine suggestion: A crisp, light, dry Pinot Gris.
