Have you ever steamed fish in parchment? It’s a game changer! The recipe for this tasty African–inspired Sole (or Halibut) in Parchment with Warm Date and Apricot Salad is generously shared by my favorite meal delivery service, Sun Basket!Â
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Let’s Talk About This Meal!
Tender flaky white fish seasoned with sea salt, pepper and lemon, wrapped in parchment and popped in the oven. While the fish steams in the oven, you pop the dried fruits and sumac in a pan to make the warm salad, by the time the salad is done, so is the fish! You have a healthy, clean, paleo, gluten/grain free meal in 20 minutes. Unbelievably quick, easy and delicious! Sumac, a citrusy-flavored spice popular in Middle Eastern cooking, is the ground dried berries of the sumac shrub and is perfection when used with anything that might be seasoned with a squeeze of lemon.
The Recipe: Sole (or Halibut) in Parchment with Warm Date and Apricot Salad!
What you need: The spice sumac can usually be found in grocery stores, if you prefer you can have it delivered to your door. You can create your own parchment packet as directed in recipe by folding parchment paper. If you prefer, you can certainly use a pre-made packet.
![](https://www.theorganickitchen.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ef4cefef-241c-44ca-a5d4-694ce2171687-150x150.jpg)
Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Paleo, Lean & Clean
2 Servings, 470 Calories/Serving
20 Minutes
Unwrap North African–inspired flavor with our parchment-steamed fish fillets, a paleo 20-minute meal that’s Heart-Check Certified by the American Heart Association®.
- 1-2 shallots
- 2 wild sole fillets about 5 ounces each or
- 2 wild Alaskan skinless halibut fillets about 5 ounces each
- 1 lemon
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- ¼ pound baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter optional
- 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1½ ounces dried apricots
- 2 Medjool dates pits removed
- ¼ cup roasted almonds
- 3-4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon sumac
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Heat the oven to 400°F. Prep instructions and cook times are identical for both fish options.
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Peel and thinly slice enough shallots to measure ¼ cup.
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Pat the fish dry with a paper towel; season lightly with salt and pepper.
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Zest the lemon and juice half; set aside the zest and juice for the warm salad. Cut the remaining half into thin slices for the parchment packets.
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Lay the parchment paper sheets side by side. Divide the shallots and spinach between the 2 sheets and season with salt and pepper. Top with the fish and lemon slices. Dot each with at least 1 teaspoon and up to 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil.Working with 1 sheet at a time, bring 2 opposite sides of the parchment to the center and fold them together several times to create a tight seam. Fold up each end to form a tight seal.
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Place the packets on a sheet pan, sealed sides up, and bake until the parchment is puffed and browned and the fish is tender when pierced with a skewer or sharp knife, 12 to 15 minutes. While the fish cooks, make the apricot and date salad.
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Coarsely chop the dried apricots.
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Thinly slice the dates.
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Strip the parsley leaves from the stems; coarsely chop the leaves.
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In a medium frying pan over medium heat, warm 2 to 3 teaspoons olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the apricots, dates, and almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, until just warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, parsley, and sumac; season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Open the fish packets, being careful of any venting steam, and transfer to individual plates. Spoon the warm salad on top and alongside and serve.
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I’ve never had sole or halibut! Where I live, it’s herring, whitefish, and trout!
Can you get it frozen maybe? Halibut and sole are both so good!
Such a delicious looking salad! I’m always looking for different ways to prepare fish and I think this may be the next recipe that I follow!
Love that dressing combo! Wow! And that is a good kid friendly one too – my girls are pretty particular about only liking a couple different dressings but they would totally go for that! Love the easy fish prep too!
So yummy! I love sole, it’s such a special fish and halibut is lovely too. This sounds amazing with that warm date and apricot salad.
LOVE the parsley, dates and apricots!!! EACH so lovely with gently cooked fish. My mom uses this parchment method, and I need to get on board. 😉
It certainly is an easy way to cook!
Thanks for the recipe:) We love fish and have a large apricot tree. I am always looking for recipes using apricots. This is perfect!
This dish sounds fresh and simple to make! I have a hard time finding fish recipes that I like but this one sounds really good! 🙂
Thanks! I love it.
I love fish cooked in parchment!! We call it a en papillote too. I also agree with what you say, it’s a huge game changer in flavor and fish texture! Yours looks perfect btw, I am hungry now!
Halibut…one of my favorites! So simple to prepare and easily soaks up the aromatics. I’m loving the ingredients in this recipe! Almonds, apricots, and dates…just YEAH!
And I love that the dried fruit salad is warm and sprinkled with sumac!
This looks so fun! I’ve never cooked fish in parchment paper but I’ll be making your recipe as it looks so delicious! I love both sole and halibut especially on a nice salad!! Great recipe!
It’s actually a super easy, no stress way to cook!
Great toppings for the fish! I will love to try this and we love halibut.
This looks like a great dinner option. I will have to try it soon.
I love cooking in packets like this! I’d love to try this recipe soon <3