Fish can be finicky dinner-party fare, especially for the distracted cook. Step away for a moment to sip your cocktail and your fillets might go from pearly to parched. This dish, though, inspired by one from Southern Italy, elegantly feeds a crowd. The fish, halibut, is seasoned with chile, salt and olive oil, then topped with rosemary, lemon and olives and roasted. It’s a lighter main dish that won’t leave anyone hungry.

Ingredients

  • 2 (8-ounce) halibut fillets, preferably at least 1-inch thick
  • 1 ½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, more to taste
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground chile pepper, preferably Turkish or Aleppo
  • 2 rosemary branches
  • 1 small lemon, very thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup sliced, pitted calamata or other good-quality black olives
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

      269 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 42 grams protein; 111 milligrams cholesterol; 543 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

2 servings

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place fish in a baking dish, brush fillets with 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and chile pepper. Top each fillet with a rosemary branch and several slices of lemon. Drizzle remaining oil over lemon slices and sprinkle with additional salt. Scatter olives over fish and pan.
  2. Bake until just opaque, about 10 minutes. If lemon slices have not browned or singed (this will depend on how thinly you slice them), place pan under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve drizzled with more olive oil; sprinkle with more salt and chili, if desired.

10 minutes

Dining and Cooking