Halibut is a meaty yet light fish, and the brightness of the tomatoes pairs beautifully with the fresh oregano. The herb butter helps the flavor of the thyme really shine through.

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients: 

6 tablespoons butter at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons for sautéing

12 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tablespoon chopped

1 large savory cabbage, thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

6 halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each

Salt and pepper

Juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup Sauvignon Blanc, or other dry white wine

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

 Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine the butter and the chopped thyme, mixing to incorporate the herbs. If you like, spoon the herb butter into the center a piece of parchment or wax paper and roll it into a log shape. Chill the butter for at least an hour for easy slicing. If you don’t want to make the butter log, just chill the butter in a bowl covered with plastic (it won’t look as good, but the butter is going to melt in the oven anyway).

2. Preheat the oven to 425F. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pan, and sauté the cabbage and scallions over medium heat until tender, about 6 minutes. Portion the cooked cabbage into 6 equal piles in a casserole dish.

3. Place fillet on each pile of cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with lemon juice and white wine. Cut the prepared herb butter into 6 equal-sized pats, and place one on top of each fillet. Scatter halved tomatoes evenly around the fillets. Top each piece of fish with 2 sprigs of thyme. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Karen Bussen is one of America’s most exciting entertaining experts, and the author of the wildly successful “Simple Stunning” series of entertaining books (Stewart, Tabori & Chang). Karen creates one-of-a-kind celebrations for luminary hosts in the worlds of business, media and society as well as A-listers such as Robert Downey Jr., Julian Schnabel, and Martha Stewart.

Find more delicious fish recipes in BettyConfidential's Recipe File.