Spring has Sprung!!!

Not only are all the birds chirping and the flowers in bloom, but fresh produce is more abundant at this time of the year.  What an excellent time to take advantage of all the flavors that abound with fresh herbs and vegetables...  I am writing today to tell you about a wonderful fish dish that is perfect timing for Spring, Oven-Poached Halibut Provencale.  While Halibut is a bit pricey, you can easily substitute Grouper or Mahi Mahi and it works perfectly.  Try this one out, I guarantee you and your family and friends will love it. 

Oven-Poached Halibut Provencale:  (Taken from an old Cooking Light magazine)

Ingredients
1   Tablespoon olive oil
3   garlic cloves, minced
2   cups chopped fresh fennel bulb
1+1/2 cups chopped onion
1   teaspoon salt, divided
4   cups diced tomato (skin and seeds removed)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (I substituted Tarragon, it was wonderful)
6  (6 oz.) halibut fillets (I substituted Grouper)
1  cup dry white wine
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs (use fresh if you can)
2  tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
1  teaspoon dried herbes de Provence (see below)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2.  Heat 1 tblsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic; saute 30 seconds.  Add fennel, onion, and 1/2 tsp. salt; saute 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in diced tomato; cook 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in fresh basil and fresh parsley or tarragon.

3.  Spoon half of tomato mixture into a 13 x 9 in. baking dish.  Place fillets over tomato mixture.  Pour wine into dish; sprinkle fillets with 1/4 tsp. salt.  Spoon remaining tomato mixture over fillets.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

4.  Preheat broiler

5.  Combine the breadcrumbs, olives, herbes de Provence, 1 tsp. oil, pepper and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl.  Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over fillets.  Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned (watch this carefully you don't want your crumbs black...).  Serve immediately

Herbes de Provence is a fragrant blend of dried herbs (basil, lavender, marjoram, Rosemary, sage, thyme, summer savory, and fennel seed) commonly used in southern French cooking.

Serve this lovely, light main course with a mixed salad and a French vinaigrette and Haricots Verts steamed to perfection. I promise you, you will be thrilled and the best news is there's only 315 calories per serving!!!