Garlic Butter:
• ½ tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ cup butter room temp
• Salt and pepper to taste

Almond Crusted Halibut:
• 1 lb halibut filets
• ¼ cup ground almonds

Roasted Fennel:
• 1 fennel bulb
• Salt and pepper

Asparagus:
• 1 bunch asparagus
• Juice from ½ a lime
• Drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Wine pairing: Pinot Grigio

Step One: Prep the garlic butter —
Mix the minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, butter (room temp), salt and pepper. Set aside.

Step Two: Roast the fennel —
Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the fennel bulb into ½“ thick slices. Lay on baking sheet with parchment paper. Add extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees in the oven for 30-40 minutes until tender. Remove fennel from oven, but keep oven on.

Step Three: Coat and bake the halibut —
Coat the fish with the garlic butter and sprinkle the ground almonds on top. Place fish on baking tray and insert into oven. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes, then raise oven to broil and bake 5 more minutes. Remove fish from oven.

Step Four: Pan sear the asparagus —
Pan sear the asparagus until soft. Just before removing from the pan, add the juice of lime. Serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.