Hoja Santa Wrapped Halibut

I was introduced to hoja santa in a Mexican cooking class at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California. The plant has large, heart-shaped leaves. It has a wonderful anise scent and is used as a seasoning and as a wrapping in Mexico. Another name for hoja santa is the root beer plant. It tastes like a combination of fennel, tarragon, and licorice. 

Hoja santa grows well in Southern California. You can find it at farmer’s markets and some grocery stores. For this recipe, I sourced it at Chino Farms in Rancho Santa Fe, California. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to three days.

This recipe consists of three simple ingredients: hoja santa, fresh lemon, and halibut. To prepare, wash and dry one leaf for each individual serving of fish. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Place the fish onto the widest part of the leaf. Top the fish with a slice of lemon. Wrap the fish and lemon into a nice package with the seam side down. Cook in a sauté pan. I opted to serve the hoja santa fish package on top of a winter squash puree. Garnish with grated lemon rind and chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 hoja santa leaf for each serving

6 oz portion mild white fish for each serving

1 lemon, zested and sliced in medallions

1 T chopped parsley

1 T extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Gently wash and dry the hoja santa leaf. 

Salt and pepper the fish. Place the fish on the largest section of the leaf. Top the fish with a lemon medallion. Wrap the fish and lemon with the leaf. 

Add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Place the fish package seam-side down into the pan. Cover pan to allow the fish to steam. When the fish reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, remove from the pan. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Notes:

Depending on the size and cut of the fish, you may need to wrap it with two leaves. You can substitute the halibut for a different flaky, mild white fish.