If you’re in the mood for a light but filling dish, look no further. Halibut is low in fat but delicate, sweet, and flaky, and it embraces the flavors of most anything you pair it with. I like to marinate and then roast halibut before serving it on top of a colorful, warm spring salad of peas and mint. This is my kind of food.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Fish

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　4 (6-ounce) skinless center-cut halibut fillets

　　Vegetable oil cooking spray

　　

Salad

5 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 large or 4 small shallots, thinly sliced

　　1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed

　　1 packed cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

　　1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

　　

Step 1

For the fish: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour the mixture into a resealable plastic bag. Add the halibut and coat with the lemon mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a small rimmed baking sheet or glass baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

　　

Step 3

Remove the halibut from the marinade and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through.

　　

Step 4

For the salad: Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the peas, 1 cup chopped mint, the lemon zest and thyme. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 5

Spoon the salad onto 4 plates and top each with a halibut fillet. Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped mint and serve.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.