Panko-Herb Crusted Halibut

I’ve always considered halibut to be a bit of a luxury and in our house it’s an ingredient that’s often accompanied by a mini celebration or “Happy Dance” if you will. Now, lucky for us and living on the West Coast, halibut season comes with a lot of happy dancing around the house. This Easter, I highly recommend whipping this up with a batch of my family recipe for Spring Risotto with Goat Cheese and Asparagus – it’s more or less simple and the perfect meal for a smaller group this Easter weekend.

You don’t need to do much to halibut for it to be amazing but I love treating it with this herby, zesty, crispy panko crust to jazz it up and make it even more luxurious! It ends up with a crunchy exterior with a juicy, rich fish interior. (Also: don’t sleep on the lemon zest either – it adds another dimension of flavour here that makes this recipe everythinggg!)

Recipe for Panko-Herb Crusted Halibut

Ingredients

• 4 (6 ounce) halibut fillets
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup chives, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
• 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dill, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Rinse halibut filets and pat dry with a paper towel. Place on the prepared baking sheet and brush each filet with about a 1/4 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a small microwavable bowl, melt the butter. Once melted, add panko, herbs, salt, pepper and lemon zest and mix until well combined. Spoon the mixture on the fillets and press firmly into each fillet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes until the panko is browned and halibut is cooked through. Top with freshly chopped chives or parsley and serve on top of a bed a creamy Spring Risotto with Goat Cheese and Asparagus!