Baked Halibut With Fennel Pangrattato (Printable)

Halibut baked with fennel and crispy lemon-walnut breadcrumb topping. Ready in 30 minutes for an elegant meal.

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Vegetables

01 - 4 halibut fillets, skinless, approximately 6 oz each
02 - 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
03 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Pangrattato

06 - 2 oz fresh breadcrumbs from rustic bread
07 - 1.5 oz walnuts, finely chopped
08 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold fish fillets in a single layer.
02 - Scatter sliced fennel evenly across the baking dish base. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and half the lemon juice. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
03 - Place halibut fillets on top of fennel. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the lemon zest.
04 - Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and breadcrumbs, stirring until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Stir in walnuts and toast for 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix in parsley and remaining lemon zest.
05 - Top halibut fillets with walnut pangrattato mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.
06 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork and topping is golden.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional parsley or fennel fronds if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but you'll be sitting down in thirty minutes flat.
  • The walnut pangrattato adds a nutty crunch that makes every bite feel luxurious without any fancy technique.
  • Fennel goes from sharp and crisp to mellow and almost sweet in the oven, soaking up all that lemon and olive oil.
  • It's elegant enough for guests but forgiving enough for a weeknight when you just need dinner to work.
02 -
  • Pat the halibut fillets completely dry before you season them, any moisture will make the topping slide right off.
  • Toast the breadcrumbs until they're actually golden brown, not just warm, or they'll turn soggy in the oven instead of staying crisp.
  • Slice the fennel thin enough that you could almost see through it, thick slices won't soften in the short baking time.
  • Don't skip the lemon zest in the pangrattato, it's what makes the topping sing and ties everything together.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the dish so none of those fragrant oils go to waste.
  • If your breadcrumbs are browning too fast in the skillet, pull the pan off the heat for a few seconds and keep stirring, they'll continue to toast without burning.
  • Taste your fennel raw before slicing, if it's very sharp or bitter, blanch the slices in boiling water for thirty seconds to mellow the flavor.
  • Press the pangrattato onto the fish with the back of a spoon, it helps it form a cohesive crust that stays put when you serve.
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