Halibut Fillet Baked in Parchment with Salsa Verde Recipe

Halibut Fillet Baked in Parchment with Salsa Verde Recipe

  • 1 slice ½-inch-thick hearty white bread, about 4 inches by 2 inches
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 anchovy fillets, packed in salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons capers in brine or vinegar, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, washed and dried
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 12 3-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 6 halibut fillets, ½ pound each
  • Olive oil
  1. Make the salsa verde:
  2. Slice the crusts off the bread and discard. Place the bread on a small plate and drizzle both sides with the red wine vinegar.
  3. Soak the anchovies in a bowl of cold water for 30 minutes. Remove the bones and reserve the fillets.
  4. In a marble mortar, combine the anchovies, garlic, and capers. Pound the mixture into a paste. Add the bread and parsley and pound to a fine paste. Slowly pour in the olive oil, stirring constantly until all the oil is incorporated. Add salt to taste, if necessary.
  5. Prepare the halibut:
  6. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Cut 4 sheets of parchment paper into 6 12-inch squares on a work surface. Place two sprigs of rosemary in the center of each piece of parchment, then place a halibut fillet on top of the rosemary sprigs. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
  7. Bring the front and back of each piece of parchment together over the centers of each fillet. Gently fold together 3 times and then fold the ends of the paper under the packets.
  8. Place the packets in a heavy-duty baking pan and bake for 25 minutes.
  9. Remove the fish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  10. To serve, unfold the parchment papers and gently slide a spatula under the fillets, lifting each one onto an individual serving plate. Spoon several tablespoons of salsa verde on top.