Oven-Poached Halibut Provençale

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chopped fennel bulb
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 4 cups diced tomato
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 6 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add fennel, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in diced tomato; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in fresh basil and fresh parsley.
3. Spoon half of tomato mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Place fillets over tomato mixture. Pour wine into dish; sprinkle fillets with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon remaining tomato mixture over fillets. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.
4. Preheat broiler.
5. Combine the breadcrumbs, olives, herbes de Provence, 1 teaspoon oil, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over fillets. Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.