Parmesan-crusted halibut on phyllo sounds rich but eats light
This is the kind of dish I dream about: A hunk of tender, white fish sitting on a cloud of golden-brown, crisp flakiness. Bits of sweet onions are tucked under the fish, while on top, a luxuriously creamy Parmesan spread keeps the seafood optimally moist and forms a light crust in the oven. The finishing flourish is a crown of fresh baby greens.
The man who came up with the idea is Carlyle Watt, head baker of Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop in Anchorage, Alaska. Watt says he is “always looking to marry the baking and savory worlds together,” so he came up with a pastry version of a generations-old Alaskan staple casserole, Halibut Olympia. The classic dish — which has layers of buttered onions, halibut fillets, a mayonnaise-based topping and a crust of crushed crackers — he explained, took hold as practical way to enjoy the bounty of local fish using pantry ingredients at a time when fresh ingredients could be scarce. In the version he created, which won me over at first bite, he nixed the crackers and the casserole dish and layered the ingredients in individual portions atop diamonds of puffed pastry dough, garnishing each, elegantly, with microgreens.
As I devoured the one he served to me, I couldn't help but think about how I might make a lighter, more healthful version. So I hit the kitchen, and this wonderful recipe is the result. Here, the golden pastry is phyllo brushed with olive oil, and the creamy Parmesan topping is yogurt-based, with just a touch of mayo for richness. It hits all the right notes for a meal that is just as dreamy for its healthfulness as it is for its glorious flavor and presentation.
• Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian, nutritionist and author who hosts public television's “Ellie's Real Good Food.” She blogs and offers a weekly newsletter at www.elliekrieger.com.