Ingredients

• 500 ml (2 cups) yellow quinoa, rinsed
• 500 g (1 lb) asparagus, stalks cut into 6 pieces on bias
• 1 l (4 cups) sugar snap peas, each cut into 4 pieces on bias
• 500 ml (2 cups) shelled green sweet peas
• 90 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) finely chopped fresh chives
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) grated lemon rind
• Salt and pepper
• 6 halibut fillets (each 150 g/5 oz)
• 2 sprigs fresh dill
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced
• 125 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 50 ml (1/4 cup) white wine
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
• 250 ml (1 cup) toasted crushed whole almonds

1. Place quinoa in a rice cooker with 750 ml (3 cups) of water. Cook until tender and fluff with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl with ice water. Blanch asparagus, snap peas and sweet peas by placing them into the boiling water for about 1 minute for each batch. Strain and remove to ice water for another minute to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

3. Remove quinoa from rice cooker, place in a large bowl and mix with oil, chives, tarragon and lemon rind. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Season halibut with salt and pepper and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place a sprig of dill on each piece of fish; layer each with 3 to 4 lemon slices and top with 5 ml (1 tsp) of the butter. Splash with white wine and bake, uncovered, in centre of 190 C (375 F) oven for about 7 minutes.

5. Brown remaining butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add lemon juice and blanched vegetables and toss quickly. Season to taste and add toasted almonds to vegetables. To serve, arrange quinoa and fish on a plate and spoon vegetables around and over the fish.

News Canada/Adapted by Emily Richards, cookbook author and TV celebrity chef. For more, visit emilyrichardscooks.ca