Oven-Baked Halibut

This break has been so long that I am thoroughly ashamed. Especially in front of a friend who is just starting a blog (on a completely different subject, admittedly), but when he found out that I was Prymitywna Kuchnia, he demanded cooking on request 😉 So I am getting in a little practice, because he is coming over from Poznań at the end of the week.

Today I happened to come across some rather nice halibut. A halibut fillet, to be precise.

There is no denying that, of all the fish served at Polish fried-fish places and in restaurants serving fish, halibut is usually my first choice. I like its rich yet very delicate, almost buttery flesh. I really have never come across anyone who managed to ruin this fish particularly badly. Most often, though, I eat it coated in breadcrumbs and fried in fat. So today, something completely different.

Oven-baked halibut. Incredibly delicate, melting in the mouth. While making it, I was certain I would write this post. Often I cook something, take a photo and eat it, and although it is something not yet on Prymitywna, I then fail to publish the recipe for lack of time. But today I was certain. I have to share this halibut. Because not only is it healthy and delicious, it is also the easiest thing in the world to prepare. So warm greetings after a longer break, and I thoroughly recommend it. Let’s get started 🙂

Recipe details:

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Baking time: 21 minutes

Baking temperature: 200 degrees Celsius

Serves: two

Calories: none 😉

Ingredients for oven-baked halibut fillet:

• about 40 decagrams of fresh halibut fillet
• half a lemon
• a tablespoon of olive oil
• herb salt (mine was Prymat’s, in a grinder)
• freshly ground black pepper
• dried rosemary

Recipe for buttery halibut fillet:

Nothing could be simpler. I preheated the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (it must be hot).

I washed the fish thoroughly and dried it with kitchen paper. I took a shallow baking dish (shown in the photos below) and lined it with a large piece of aluminium foil (large enough to hold the fish fillet and cover it with two layers of foil, one folded over from each side). I placed the halibut fillet on the foil and sprinkled it with freshly ground pepper, freshly ground herb salt and dried rosemary. I turned the fillet over and repeated the seasoning.

Finally, I drizzled the fish with roughly a tablespoon of olive oil, spreading it evenly over the fillet. On top I placed 4 large slices of lemon that I had washed and scalded beforehand. I folded the aluminium foil over from both sides.

I put the prepared halibut fillet in the preheated oven for 18 minutes. After 18 minutes, I opened the foil on top. I switched the oven to its highest-power fan-assisted grill setting and grilled the top for roughly 2 minutes. Then I took the fish out of the oven; once cut into portions, it is ready to serve.

I served it with buttery mashed potatoes with dill, boiled broccoli and Brussels sprouts. And of course with the lemon slices that had baked on the halibut 🙂 Heaven, truly heaven on the tongue. Enjoy!

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