Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Pepper Bed
- 3 g fennel seeds, whole
- 3 g coriander seeds, whole
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 300 g yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 15 g garlic, thinly sliced
- 600 g bell peppers, thinly sliced, seeds and stems removed
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Fish and Finish
- 600 g halibut fillets, skinless, divided into 4 portions
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 g kosher salt, for seasoning fish
- 2 g lemon zest, freshly grated
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the fennel and coriander seeds in a dry saute pan over medium heat. Toast for 2 minutes until deeply fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and crush coarsely.
Return the saute pan to medium heat and add 45ml of olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Add the garlic, sliced bell peppers, crushed spices, 5g of salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook gently. Stir occasionally until the peppers are meltingly tender.
Preheat the oven to 200 C / 400 F.
Transfer the slow-cooked pepper and onion mixture along with all its juices into a baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Season the halibut fillets on all sides with salt and rub lightly with 15ml of olive oil. Nest the fillets gently on top of the pepper bed.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until the fish is opaque, flakes easily with a fork, and reaches an internal temperature of 63 C / 145 F.
Remove the dish from the oven. Immediately scatter the fresh lemon zest and chopped parsley evenly over the fish and peppers. Serve directly from the baking dish.
Chef's Notes
- The slow-cooked pepper and onion base is highly adaptable and tastes even better the next day. You can prepare it up to 48 hours in advance, keeping it refrigerated until you are ready to assemble and bake the fish, making this an ideal dish for parties.
- Pay close attention when toasting your whole spices. You only want them to become fragrant; over-toasting coriander seed can impart a harsh, bitter flavor to the delicate fish.
- A thicker cut of fish will require a longer baking time. If your halibut fillets are thicker than 1.5 inches, you may need to add 3 to 5 extra minutes in the oven.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — The pepper base keeps exceptionally well and improves in flavor over 3 days. The cooked fish should be consumed within 2 days.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze the pepper mixture only. The cooked fish will degrade in texture.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a 150 C / 300 F oven until the fish is just warmed through to avoid overcooking.
