WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Cooking fish and vegetables en papillote—baking them in a tightly sealed package to steam in their own juices—is a quick, surefire way to an elegant but easy, sophisticated but satisfying meal. Here, zucchini slices both complement the mild flavor of the halibut and cook in the same amount of time. We salted the zucchini first, to remove excess moisture. To give our packets plenty of flavor without overpowering the halibut and zucchini, we made a tomato “salsa,” which added just the right kick. A splash of white wine boosted the flavor even more. Using aluminum foil rather than parchment made packet construction simple. The sealed packets needed only 15 to 20 minutes in the oven to steam and baste the fish and soften the vegetables. A final garnish of chopped basil and lemon wedges made the perfect finish. Cod, haddock, red snapper, and sea bass also work well in this recipe, as long as the fillets are 1 to 1½ inches thick. Be sure to open each packet promptly after baking to prevent overcooking, being careful to avoid the hot steam.
SERVES: 4
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound zucchini, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 4 (6-to 8-ounce) skinless halibut fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- Lemon wedges
INSTRUCTIONS:
- PREPARE ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES:
Toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon salt in colander and let drain for 30 minutes. Pat zucchini dry with paper towels and carefully wipe away any residual salt. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, oil, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in bowl.
- ASSEMBLE FOIL PACKETS:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eight 12-inch-square sheets of aluminum foil. Arrange 4 foil squares on counter. Shingle zucchini in center of sheets and sprinkle with wine. Pat halibut dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and place on top of zucchini. Spread tomato mixture evenly over halibut. Place second foil square on top of each piece of halibut. Press edges of foil together and fold over several times until packet is well sealed and measures about 7 inches square. Place packets on rimmed baking sheet, overlapping as needed.
- BAKE THE HALIBUT:
Bake until halibut registers 140 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes. (To check temperature, poke thermometer through foil of 1 packet and into halibut.)
- SERVE:
Transfer halibut packets to individual serving plates, open carefully (steam will escape), and slide contents onto plates. Sprinkle with basil and serve with lemon wedges.
