With warmer weather and beach vacations around the corner, I thought I would do something special, a delicious recipe for two with an item from the sea. Halibut is such a great, flavorful fish to serve.

This easy recipe has fresh halibut, macadamia nuts, unsweetened coconut, gluten-free panko breadcrumbs and a few other pantry ingredients. Grab some colorful farm-fresh vegetables from your local farm stands in the summer as side dishes and your plating will stand out.

Halibut is a sturdy, meaty fish that can take on many flavors it’s made with.

Served with some fresh, light sides, this deliciously rich fish will be a joy to serve and to enjoy.

Gluten-Free Macadamia Nut-Crusted Halibut

4 4- to 6-ounce halibut fillets

¾ cup of gluten-free panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup of gluten-free flour

½ cup of whole roasted macadamia nuts, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of unsweetened finely shredded coconut

2 egg whites, beaten

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons of a neutral oil such as sunflower, canola or grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Set the fish out for about 15 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix your panko breadcrumbs, finely chopped macadamia nuts, and the coconut together in a deep dish and set aside.

Place your flour into a second deep dish. Pour the beaten egg whites into a third dish. Pat the halibut fillets dry and season both sides of each fillet with salt and pepper.

On one top side of the fish, pat down a thin coat of gluten-free flour. Then place the floured-side down into the egg whites. Drip off the excess egg.

Next, the egg-white side of the fillets place down onto the panko mixture. Press down on the fish fillets lightly so that the panko mixture will adhere to each portion of fish.

On medium high heat, place your oil and unsalted butter into an oven-safe medium saute pan.

Gently place each halibut fillet in, coating-side down, into the pan for a minute or two, until the coating is slightly browned. Gently again, flip the fish to coating side up in the saute pan and place the pan into the oven to finish cooking for approximately 8 minutes until the fish is cooked through. You can test the fish with a metal skewer and the skewer should come out very warm.

Spoon your freshly made salsa over the top of each fillet. Serve with a vegetable side. Enjoy.

Tropical Salsa

One mango, small dice

One small papaya, small dice

½ of a small pineapple, small dice

½ of a small red onion, medium dice

1 tiny Fresno or serrano chili pepper, seeds and veins removed and tiny dice

2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon of chili garlic paste (Sambal) from the international grocery section

The juice of one lime

½ teaspoon of agave nectar; optional sweetener

1 tablespoon of a neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chef’s Note: Rinse the onion in cold water to take some of the strong onion flavor off

Combine all of your salsa ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Taste for salt and pepper.

Cover and store your salsa in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.