Halibut is a meaty yet light fish, and the brightness of the tomatoes pairs beautifully with the fresh thyme. The herb butter helps the flavor of the herb really shine through.–Karen Bussen
Oven-Roasted Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes and Thyme Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons for sauteing
- 12 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tablespoon chopped
- 1 large savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds), finely shredded
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- 6 halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each
- Salt and pepper
- Juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup Sauvignon Blanc, or other dry white wine
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Directions
- 1. In a small bowl, combine the butter and the chopped thyme, mixing to incorporate the herbs. If you like, spoon the herb butter into the center of a piece of parchment or wax paper and roll it into a log shape. Chill the butter for at least an hour for easy slicing. If you don’t want to make the butter log, just chill the butter in a bowl covered with plastic (it won’t look as good, but the butter is going to melt in the oven anyway).
- 2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- 3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pan, and saute the cabbage and scallions over medium heat until tender, about 6 minutes. Portion the cooked cabbage into 6 equal piles in a casserole dish.
- 4. Place a halibut fillet on each pile of cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with lemon juice and white wine. Cut the prepared herb butter into 6 equal-sized pats, and place one on top of each fillet. Scatter halved tomatoes evenly around the fillets. Top each piece of halibut with 2 sprigs of thyme. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Oven-Roasted Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes and Thyme Recipe © 2009 Karen Bussen. Photo © 2009 William Geddes. All rights reserved.
[Linda Pacchiano] This roasted halibut dish is very easy to prepare. The prep time is minimal and so is the baking time. However, the results convey a much more complex dish both in flavor and appearance. The combination of the herbs, cabbage, and cherry tomatoes against the backdrop of the white fish is quite beautiful. It’s also a very healthy dish, if you want to substitute olive oil and chopped herbs for the compound butter. Speaking of the butter, it really doesn’t pay to make it into a log since, as the recipe states, the butter is going to melt during baking anyway. Be sure to season the fish well, as it will turn out bland if you don’t—this is the only time you’re adding salt and pepper to anything in the recipe. I think you can also substitute other firm, flaky fish fillets, such as cod or tilapia, however, you may have to adjust the baking time depending on the thickness of the fish. Twenty minutes was just ideal for the halibut. The fish came out perfectly done, not overcooked, and extremely moist.