I’m thrilled to be able to make this again! It’s such an old recipe that I have no idea where it came from. I only made it once all those years ago. We loved it, but our range hood wasn’t up to the task. With the bedroom and laundry room directly upstairs from the kitchen, that meant smelling fish all night and on all of the clean laundry. It didn’t help that it wasn’t always easy to find truly fresh fish. Now that I have a superb range hood and a reliable fishmonger, I’ve dusted off the recipe and updated it a bit.

You don’t have to use halibut, but you do want your fish filet thin and your asparagus fat so that their cook times will match. Nor do you necessarily need to use as much asparagus as I do. We’ve become spoiled by homegrown asparagus, so I rarely buy any. That means going ten months of the year without, which means we just can’t get enough when it’s in season.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, about 12 oz. (340 g)

½ teaspoon green peppercorns (may substitute black, using a bit less)

¼ teaspoon salt (I used Spicy Hot Pepper Sea Salt from Alaska Pure, you can substitute any sea salt)

2 halibut (or other thin) filets, about 7 ounces (200 g) each

12 asparagus spears, trimmed

10½ ounces (300 g) cherry toms

3 ounces (85 g) Vidalia onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (can substitute basil or other fresh herbs)

1 small sprig fresh thyme for ⅛ teaspoon minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon Off-the-Hook Homemade Jalapeño Hot Sauce

1 large (or 2 small) clove garlic

Preparation:

1.) Preheat oven to 425º F (218º C). Line a half-sheet pan with foil. Lightly oil the foil with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Slice the potatoes ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Lay them in single layer, turning to coat.

2.) Grind the pepper in a mill or with a mortar and pestle. Combine with the salt in a small prep bowl. Sprinkle a third of the mixture over the potatoes. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

3.) While the potatoes cook, thinly slice half the garlic. Mince the rest for about ½ teaspoon. Set aside separately.

4.) Remove the pan from the oven and increase the heat to 450º F (232º C). Turn the potato slices and push half to each the side of the pan.

5.) Lay the fish on top of the spuds. Arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer in the center, and scatter the garlic slices around them. Lightly brush or spritz 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over everything. Sprinkle with one-third of the combined salt & pepper. Bake until the fish is opaque in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes.

6.) While the fish cooks, quarter the tomatoes and dice the onion, placing both in a medium bowl.

7.) Mince the thyme, chop the cilantro, and place in a small bowl with the minced garlic. Add the lime juice, the last teaspoon of the olive oil, the hot sauce, and the remaining salt & pepper. Whisk to combine, then pour over the tomato/onion mixture and stir to coat. Serve with the fish.