Crusted Halibut Baked in White Wine

One of my favorite ways of preparing fish fillets, is to coat them with a tasty buttery crust, and bake them in white wine. The butter in the crust melts over the fish while baking, and not only adds wonderful flavor to it, but also keeps it nice and moist. The rest of the ingredients in the crust add their unique flavors and textures, while the white wine adds another layer of fragrance and flavor to the fish.

As this time I was using Halibut fillets, which have subtle flavor, I chose some bold flavors for the crust: spicy Zhoug  (see notes), pickled lemon spread, dried shallots and oil cured black olives. This tasty mix added spicy, tangy and oniony flavors to the fish, while the bread crumbs and dried shallots added a nice crunchy texture to it.

This tasty dish can be prepared in less than half an hour, and is simply perfect for a light summer lunch. Try it and enjoy.

 

Notes:

* I used homemade Zhoug spread, but any store bought one can be used instead.

* Pickled lemon spread can be found in specialty stores or online. I used THIS brand.

 

Makes: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: about 10 minutes

 

Ingredients:

For the crust:

6 Tbs (85 grams) butter, soft

1 tsp Zhoug (see notes)

1 Tbs pickled lemon spread (see notes)

1 Tbs dried shallots

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground four peppers mix

¼ cup Panko bread crumbs

4 oil cured black olives

For the fish:

4 skinless boneless Halibut fillets (4 oz/113 grams each), at room temperature

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

½ cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)

1 Tbs olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line a small pan with baking paper.
2. Mix the ingredients for the crust, except for the olives, in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Place the fish fillets in the pan, in one layer. Use a small sharp knife, to create 2-3 deep cuts in each (this will allow the butter in the crust to melt into the filet). Sprinkle the lemon juice and salt over, and spread the crust on top. Slice the olives and place over the crust.
4. Add the wine and olive oil, (from the side, not over the crust) to the pan.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the crust is golden. Serve immediately.

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Basmati rice with onion, carrot and golden raisins

Coarsely grate 1 small onion and 1 small carrot. Place in a medium pot and add 1 Tbs oil, ½ tsp salt and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 1 cup Basmati rice, mix and cook for 1 minute, until the rice is well coated with the oil and starts to change color to white. Add 2 cups water and ¼ cup golden raisins. Mix, taste and adjust seasoning. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and gently fluff with a fork. Serve immediately.

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