Green Roasted Fish Fillets

This is a recipe from one of my two new cookbooks, both by Jerry Traunfeld; The HerbFarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld. It's the first recipe I've tried from it and it was delicious! What a difference fresh grown herbs make, really kicks a dish up a notch! I did add one jalepeno to the marinade in the food processor, hangs head in shame, seed and all, but you guys know we like it hot! I used halibut fillets, as that was what I had on hand. Preparation time does NOT include the time it takes to marinate, and is a rough estimate based on how long it took me, making it the first time, to prepare the dish.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• HERB PASTE

• 1⁄2 cup  gently packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1⁄2 cup  gently packed fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1⁄2 cup  gently packed fresh spearmint
• 1  tablespoon  freshly ground dried  coriander seed, untoasted. You can substitute 1 teaspoon fresh green coriander seed, finely chopped
• 2  green onions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, peeled
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1⁄2  fresh lime, zest of (using a zester)
• 1⁄4 cup  freshly squeezed lime juice
• 6  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• FISH

• 1 1⁄2-2  lbs  skinless halibut fillets (a medium-firm white-fleshed fish fillet) or 1 1⁄2-2  lbs sea bass fillets (a medium-firm white-fleshed fish fillet) or 1 1⁄2-2  lbs cod fish fillets (a medium-firm white-fleshed fish fillet) or 1 1⁄2-2  lbs  rockfish fillets (a medium-firm white-fleshed fish fillet)

Directions

1. HERB PASTE.
2. Process all the ingredients for the paste in a food processor to a fairly smooth puree. Transfer it to a glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl.
3. MARINATING THE FISH.
4. Remove any bones that may remain in the fillet, cut off any gray fat that was next to the skin, and cut the fish into 4 equal pieces. Toss them with the herb paste until all surfaces are evenly coated. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the fish set at room temperature for 15-20 minutes (I did 30 minutes).
5. BAKING.
6. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the pieces of fish in a shallow baking dish large enough too hold them in a single layer without touching. Spoon any of the herb paste left in the bowl over the fish so that they are covered with an even coating. Bake until, when you peek inside a piece, the last bit of translucence is fading from the interior flesh, roughly 10 minutes per inch of fish thickness. Serve right away!