Prep time:

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Total time:

Serves: 8

1.4g halibut, cut into portions

160g breadcrumbs

2 lemons, zested

2tsp rosemary, finely chopped

2tbsp chives, finely chopped

2tbsp parsley, finely chopped

4tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Wild garlic mayonnaise

200g wild garlic, washed

2tbsp mayonnaise

2tbsp crème fraîche

½ lemon, juiced

salt & pepper to taste

In Tudor times, by law, fish had to be eaten instead of meat on certain days for religious reasons. Wild garlic is native to Europe and grows wild in English woodland, making it an excellent forage food. It is also known as ramsons, from the Saxon word hramsa. It has been used in English cuisine for a thousand years.

  • Preheat oven 190˚C. Combine the breadcrumbs with the lemon zest, rosemary, chives and parsley. Add the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, stir till the breadcrumbs are evenly coated in oil, and taste for seasoning.
  • Place the halibut portions skin side down on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.  Pat the breadcrumbs evenly onto the halibut and bake in a hot oven for 7-10 minutes till just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the wild garlic mayonnaise.

For the garlic mayonnaise

  • Blanch the wild garlic in boiling salted water until wilted, drain and when cool, squeeze to remove the excess water
  • Put the wild garlic and mayonnaise into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Remove to a bowl and stir in the crème fraîche and add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

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