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A thick layer of pesto permeates the flavor of the halibut.

We are fortunate to have generous friends.

The halibut and pesto were gifts.

One from a fisherman, the other, from a cook.

I doubt they even know each other.

Ann Maroney I met through my association with the Skagit County Historical Museum.

We share a passion for cooking and baking.

We share recipes and home-created foods.

The fisherman, Pete Wedin, fishes in Alaska and makes his home in La Conner.

He pickles fish and we often gift each other home canned, pickled and frozen fish.

The halibut steak he gave us was over an inch thick.

The pesto Ann gifted us was quite thick.

I used thin slices of a large red onion, to create a bed underneath the fish.

Ingredients

Halibut steak, enough for two

Pesto, ½-¾ cup

Red onion, ½ large, sliced thin

Parchment paper, 1 foot long

Toothpick

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lay the parchment paper flat. Lay the onion slices to form a bed for the halibut. Rinse and pat the halibut dry. Sit the halibut on the onion slices. Spread the pesto over the top of the halibut. Fold the parchment paper, up and over, folding like an envelope. Tuck the sides under the halibut. Secure with a toothpick. Bake for 20 minutes. After you open the parchment paper envelope, use two forks to open up the halibut. If the meat is firm and not jelly-like, it is done and ready to eat.