Michael Yacino worked for nearly forty years to represent the interests of sportsmen and women. Now retired, he enjoys hunting, fishing, gardening, woodworking, cooking, and spending time with his granddaughter.
The author (second from right) enjoys a successful day of fishing with friends off the Alaska coast.Courtesy photo
This company-worthy recipe bakes in under fifteen minutes, but be sure to start it early in the day. You’ll want to allow a couple of hours for marinating the halibut, plus several hours for letting the coating dry before baking.
This dish pairs nicely with wild rice and steamed sliced carrots.
Cook20 minutes preparation, 5 hours for marinating and resting, 15 minutes for baking
Servings4
Ingredients
For marinating:
118 ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
15 ml (1 tablespoon) minced black olives
For coating and baking:
59 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
118 ml (½ cup) fine day-old bread crumbs
177 ml (¾ cup) diced black olives
10 ml (2 teaspoons) fresh thyme leaves
Four 10 x 7 x 2.5 cm (4 x 3 x 1 inch) pieces halibut, 170 grams (6 ounces) each
A pinch each of salt and black pepper
Nonstick spray or vegetable oil, for greasing pan
Preparation
1. For marinating: Mix together the olive oil and minced black olives. Set aside half the mixture at room temperature to use for garnish later. Coat the pieces of fish well with the remaining mixture, and place in a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
2. In a small frying pan over low heat, combine the oil and shallots, and sauté for 1 minute. Raise the heat to high, add bread crumbs and stir until crisp, about 1 minute.
3. Place the diced olives in a bowl and add the bread crumbs and thyme, mixing well.
4. Place the pieces of fish on a small cookie sheet, cover the tops with the mixture, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and refrigerate uncovered for 3 hours. This will allow the crust to dry and adhere to the fish.
5. Preheat oven to 218°C (425°). Coat the bottom of a large glass baking dish with nonstick spray or oil. Arrange the fish in a single layer and bake until fish is opaque throughout, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to individual plates, drizzle the reserved black olive/olive oil mixture on and around the edges of the fish, and serve.
After nearly forty years of work representing the interests of sportsmen and women, Michael Yacino retired in 2005. He strongly supports the purchase and protection of wildlife habitat and the wise use and conservation of our natural resources. He now enjoys hunting, fishing, gardening, woodworking, cooking, and spending time with his granddaughter.