Halibut steamed in parchment paper
Instructions:
Delicate fish is often cooked in parchment in Italy, which allows it to steam gently in the paper. When you open the parchment, a dramatic whirl of hot, moist steam escapes—a true delight for the senses!
Four 6-ounce pieces halibut Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced 4 shallots, very thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, very thinly sliced ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for
drizzling ¼ cup dry white wine 3 lemons, halved, plus more lemon juice for
drizzling if needed 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and
diced ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves ¼ cup celery leaves 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives 2 tablespoons finely sliced fresh basil 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Cut 4 good-sized pieces of parchment paper or aluminum foil, each about 9 inches long, and shape into heart shapes by folding them in half and then, beginning at the bottom of the fold, cutting a half-heart shape, using most of the paper. When you open the folded paper, it should be in the shape of a heart and about 9 inches long. Lay the open hearts on the countertop.
- Put a piece of halibut on one side of each heart and season to taste with salt and pepper. Put a tablespoon of butter on top of each piece of fish. Arrange the fennel, shallots, and garlic evenly over and around each piece of halibut. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of wine, and the juice of ½ lemon on each fish.
- Fold the parchment over the fish and crimp any open sides by folding it back onto itself to seal the fish inside the packet. Transfer the packets to a baking sheet or shallow baking pan and bake for 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes with the parsley, celery leaves, chives, basil, and coriander seeds in a bowl. Season to taste and dress with the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Gently cut open each parchment package, taking care because the steam can be very hot, and set each portion on a serving plate. The fish can stay on the parchment or not.
- Top each piece of fish with a quarter of the salad. Drizzle with more olive oil and lemon juice, if necessary.