HALIBUT EN PAPILLOTE

I love to eat fish but I’ll admit it, cooking fish is not my forté. That’s why I often order it when dining out. I particularly love halibut and knew that my girlfriend Cindy, the guest of honor at the birthday dinner party I recently hosted, loved halibut too. So I decided to serve Halibut en Papillote as my main dish at Cindy’s birthday dinner.

HALIBUT EN PAPILLOTE | Recipe by Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com

Halibut en Papillote is a particularly great dish to serve at a dinner party for several reasons:

  • It looks really special, festive and elegant
  • All the work in preparing it can be done in advance
  • It’s a healthy way to prepare fish, as the parchment paper it’s cooked in helps to retain all the healthy goodness
  • It’s easy to make and difficult to mess up

So that right there are all of the reasons why you too should make Halibut en Papillote real soon.

By the way, I used one of my alltime favorite spices, Sumac, in this recipe.

HALIBUT EN PAPILLOTE | SUMAC | Recipe by Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com

Sumac is commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes and has a lovely, tangy/sour quality to it, much like the citrus fruit I also used in this recipe. I think it compliments the fish beautifully. Unless you have a Middle Eastern Market in your neighborhood you may have to order it online. I get my Sumac here and you can too. Once you try it I think you’ll be a fan. Among other things, I also use it in my delicious recipe for Chelo Kebab.

Here’s the handy-dandy printable recipe for Halibut en Papillote…

 

HALIBUT EN PAPILLOTE
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Halibut en Papillote is an elegant way to serve a delicious dish and is a the perfect main course for a dinner party. It's also easy to make and difficult to mess up.
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • Basil Oil
  • 2 Cups Packed Fresh Basil Leaves (Stems removed)
  • 1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • For The Fish
  • Parchment Paper & Baker's Twine
  • 8 - 6-Ounce Halibut Fillets
  • Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • Sumac
  • ¼ Cup Capers
  • 1 Cup Cooked Edamame (shelled)
  • 1 Cup Fresh Basil Oil
  • Juice of 2 Large Lemons
  • 8 Thin Slices Fresh Lemon
  • 8 Thin Slices Fresh Lime
Instructions
  1. Basil Oil
  2. In a blender (Vitamix is best) puree the basil and olive oil until completely smooth.
  3. Add the salt and pulse once to combine.
  4. Put the mixture in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat.
  5. Simmer for 45 seconds, then allow to cool to room temperature.
  6. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Discard the basil solids.
  7. Set aside until ready to serve. Stir before using.
  8. Leftover Basil Oil will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks.
  9. For The Fish
  10. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  11. Cut off 8 large squares of parchment paper and place the halibut in the center.
  12. Generously sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper & sumac.
  13. Sprinkle on a few capers.
  14. Drizzle the fish with 2 tablespoons of basil oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
  15. Place 1 slice each of lemon & lime on each piece of fish.
  16. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of Edamame.
  17. Gather up the sides of the parchment paper into a package and tie it tightly with baker's twine so that no steam may escape while baking.
  18. Trim off all but about 2 inches of paper on top of each pouch.
  19. Place pouches on a sheet pan.
  20. Bake for 15 minutes or to desired doneness.
  21. Place the tied up little packages onto the plate and serve.
  22. Guests will untie the papillote to enjoy.

So there you have it: HALIBUT EN PAPILLOTE

Thanks so much for dropping in! 

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission. 

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