I bought a block of Pecorino Romano cheese from Foodie Market Place @ Tiong Bahru and had been grating it over my pastas and casseroles. Pecorino Romano is a hard Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk and tastes more salty and sharper than Parmesan but I do like it for its more intense aroma that really gives depth to every dish. Just a small amount is enough to flavour so this 200g block of cheese that I got was quite value for money as I could use it for a long time. (Tip: Store leftover cheeses in resealable bags or air-tight containers before storing in the fridge to keep out moisture so they can last longer.)
I decided to experiment with my balance Pecorino on a Panko-Crusted Halibut dish and it turned out pretty good. If you can’t get hold of Pecorino, you can substitute with Parmesan too. And swap the fish with chicken if you prefer meat to seafood. Enjoy!
Panko-Crusted Halibut with Pecorino Romano Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2)
320g halibut fillet, remove skin and cut into bite size chunks
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika powder
salt & freshly cracked black pepper
olive oil
chopped parsley as garnish
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 210 deg C with fan (or 230 deg C without). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the halibut and season with salt and pepper.
3. Combine the pecorino, panko, garlic powder and paprika powder in a dish.
4. Dip each piece of halibut into the panko mixture, ensuring it is evenly coated and then transfer to the baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the halibut and ensure they are arranged in one single layer on the baking tray.
5. Bake the halibut for 15 minutes till the exterior is crispy and golden brown.
6. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
I made a separate yogurt dip to go with the halibut and also grated more pecorino over the fish. The husband asked if I was trying to use up the cheese as I was so generous with it, lol. Probably yes. He wasn’t complaining!