The star of the menu, pairing gorgeous fish with fresh, yet satisfyingly rich cuisine of Provence.

In a small bowl whisk together 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs dry white wine, 1 tbs lemon juice, minced 2 garlic cloves, 2 tsp thyme leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper until combined.

Prepare marinade

Pat the 4 halibut fillets dry with paper towel. Place fillets in a shallow dish and spoon half of the marinade over them, turning to coat. Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes (or refrigerate up to 30 minutes). Reserve remaining marinade for finishing.

Season halibut

Trim and thinly slice the zucchini into 1/8-inch rounds. Core and thinly slice the yellow bell pepper into strips. Halve the 12 cherry tomatoes. Thinly slice the shallot and the half fennel bulb. Finely chop 2 tbs parsley and 1 tbs basil. Thinly slice the half lemon into 4 rounds.

Prep vegetables

In a bowl combine the sliced zucchini, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, shallot, fennel, 1 tsp capers, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Toss with a light drizzle of olive oil (use about 1 tsp) so vegetables are lightly coated.

Season vegetables

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut four sheets of parchment paper, each roughly 14 x 12 inches. Fold each sheet in half lengthwise and crease; you will build the parcel on the unfolded sheet so the fold forms the sealing edge.

Preheat and cut parchment

On one half of each parchment sheet, arrange a quarter of the seasoned vegetables in a loose nest leaving a 1-inch border. Place one marinated halibut fillet on top of the vegetables. Spoon a teaspoon of the reserved marinade over each fillet. Top each fillet with a lemon slice, a small pat (about 1/2 tbs) of unsalted butter, and a sprinkle of chopped parsley and basil.

Assemble papillote

Fold the top half of parchment over the fish and crimp the edges tightly in small folds moving around the parcel to form a sealed half-moon. Alternatively roll the packet and fold ends. Tie with kitchen twine if desired to ensure sealed edges and to help parcels keep a neat shape during baking.

Seal parcels

Place the sealed papillote on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 12–14 minutes for 6 oz halibut fillets (thicker fillets may need up to 16 minutes). Fish is done when it flakes easily and reaches an internal temperature of 135–140°F (57–60°C).

Bake

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let parcels rest for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer each parcel to a plate. Using kitchen shears, cut the top of the parchment to release steam away from your face. Drizzle each parcel with remaining reserved marinade if any, plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining 1/2 tbs butter placed on top to melt, or spoon a tablespoon of optional warmed white wine into each parcel for extra sauce.

Rest and finish

Serve the halibut en papillote still in the parchment or open on the plate, garnished with additional chopped parsley and a grind of black pepper. Accompany with crusty bread or a simple herbed rice to soak up the juices and serve with a chilled glass of dry white wine if desired.

Serve

halibut fillets

extra-virgin olive oil

dry white wine

lemon juice

garlic

fresh thyme leaves

salt

black pepper

zucchini

yellow bell pepper

cherry tomatoes

shallot

fennel bulb

lemon

capers

fresh parsley

fresh basil

unsalted butter

olive oil (for drizzling)

white wine (optional, for serving)

parchment paper

kitchen twine

Halibut en Papillote

Make Halibut En Papillote Recipe in just 40m. The star of the menu, pairing gorgeous fish with fresh, yet satisfyingly rich cuisine of Provence.

Halibut En Papillote Recipe

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