I find this meal to be great for Date Night. To start, the prep & clean up are easy and it does not require you to be working in the kitchen for hours. Most of the items are pantry stable as well. Less time does not mean less flavor though! The sweetness of the roasted tomatoes, the added depth from the balsamic vinegar, the saltiness of the olives, earthy tones from the herbs, and the fresh acidity from the lemon all enhance each other and the lean fish that naturally has a mild, sweet tasting flavor. Serve the fish table-side right from the baking dish with a simple angel hair pasta with olive oil & lemon zest or jasmine rice. Light the candles, turn on some jazz and open a bottle of great Pinot Noir!

Ingredients

• 1 can Diced Tomatoes, 14 oz
• 1 lb Halibut Filet, bones & skin removed
• 15-20 Olives, pitted
• Fresh Oregano
• Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Basil
• Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.

In a shallow, oven-safe dish, pour in the can of diced tomatoes, the balsamic vinegar, and a dash of each of the dried oregano, basil, salt & pepper. Mix together. Add the sprigs of fresh oregano and the olives. Next, place the fish into the center of the dish. You want to ensure the juice of the tomatoes is covering at least 2/3 of the height of the fish. The steam will cook the top of the fish. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and the juice of the lemon. Sprinkle the fish with the dried herbs & salt.

As a note for the baking process, half-way through the cooking time, spoon some of the tomato sauce over the fish.

Bake the fish covered with tinfoil for about 15-18 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and the flesh starts to flake when you touch it with a fork. If you fish is thin, check it around 10-12 minutes. Remember the fish will continue to cook after you pull it out of the oven, and you do not want over-cooked halibut.

Serve hot with a simple angel hair pasta with olive oil & lemon zest or jasmine rice and a bottle of Pinot Noir.

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