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Halibut baked 'in paper' with pea sprouts and herb butter

Time40 minutes
YieldsServes 6
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Because it is so lean, halibut needs to be cooked gently, which makes the fish a very happy match for the fresh, delicate flavors of spring. Baking halibut in an aluminum foil packet gently steams the fish while it absorbs flavor from the pea sprouts below and the tarragon, chervil and chive flavored butter above.

Serve the packets still tightly closed and let your guests open them. It’s like Christmas morning for food lovers: As the presents are unwrapped, a gush of hot, herb-scented steam will pour out.

One of the best things about this dish is that it can be made almost entirely in advance. Refrigerate the assembled packages, and when you’re ready, just pop them in the oven on a jellyroll pan. They’ll take less than 15 minutes from fridge to plate.

From the story: Halibut’s big moment

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1

Beat together the butter, shallot, chervil, chives and tarragon until the mixture is relatively smooth and pale green. Beat in the lemon juice. Taste and season with one-fourth teaspoon salt. The butter should taste aggressively lemony.

2

Spoon the butter onto a sheet of plastic wrap in the shape of a log and roll it into a cylinder. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap in opposite directions to firm the cylinder and roll it gently on the counter to eliminate any air pockets in the center. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Recipe can be prepared to this point a couple of days in advance).

3

To prepare the packets, place a sheet of aluminum foil on the work counter. Arrange 1 cup of pea sprouts in a bed in the center. Lightly salt a halibut steak or fillet on both sides and place it on the pea sprouts. Slice off a generous tablespoon of the herb butter and place it on top of the halibut. Seal the packet tightly, folding the edges over several times to ensure a tight seal. (Recipe can be prepared to this point 8 hours in advance and refrigerated until ready to bake.)

4

When ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the sealed packets on a jellyroll pan and bake 12 to 15 minutes (the longer period if the packets have just come from the refrigerator, or if you like your fish more thoroughly cooked).

5

Transfer the baked packets to a plate and serve immediately, warning your guests that they are full of very hot, very fragrant, steam.