Fish in Foil

Fish in foil

When I served dinner tonight, I asked The Kids what I should name this entree that included fish and vegetables with Asian seasoning wrapped up in a foil pouch.

"Fish in Foil," said My Middle One. "You know kinda like Soap on a Rope," she said.

I must clarify that dinner did not taste like Soap on a Rope. Not that I have tasted Soap on a Rope.

I tried a new type of fish tonight called Corvina or White Seabass. It is found off the coast of southern California and both coasts of Mexico and included on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Best Choice List for sustainable fish. The "Best Choice" fish are abundant, well managed and fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways. I have been trying to serve and eat the fish on the Best Choice list lately. When I saw Corvina at the fish market, I decided to give it a try.

I have seen many recipes for fish en papillotte - cooking in parchment - and decided to give this technique a try. Corvina is a mild fish that tastes similar to cod or pollock. It lends itself well to many seasonings. For each serving, I used about a 2 - 3 foot piece of foil instead of parchment. I buttered the middle of the foil and topped it with shredded cole slaw mix, a little sesame oil, a piece of Corvina spread with hoisin sauce, sliced mushrooms and sugar snap peas and drizzled with soy sauce. One short end of the foil was folded onto the other short end and the edges were crimped tightly. The foil packets were baked in the oven melding all the flavors as the fish and vegetables steamed.

Here is my packet before it went into the oven.


With Asian flavors being a favorite in our house, this dish was enjoyed with a side of rice. I liked that the clean up was minimal; just ball up the foil and throw it out.

I can see substituting many different fish in this recipe such as salmon, tilapia, halibut, or pollock. The possibilities are endless. Try Fish in Foil with your favorite fish tonight.

Fish in Foil

The recipe serves one. Just make as many packets as you have dinner guests.

1 teaspoon butter
1 cup shredded cole slaw mix (a combination of shredded cabbage and carrots)
sesame oil
salt
pepper
1 6-ounce fish fillet such as corvina, halibut, salmon, pollock or tilapia
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Tear off a 2 - 3 foot long piece of foil. Position the short end facing you and butter the center of the foil. Place the cole slaw mix on top of the foil and drizzle with sesame oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Top with fish fillet and spread hoisin sauce on fish. Add mushrooms and sugar snap peas and a drizzle of soy sauce.

Fold the short end that is farthest from you over to meet the other short end of the foil. Crimp the edges tightly to seal the packet, but leave enough room for the fish and vegetables. Place packet on a large baking sheet. For thin fillets such as tilapia, bake for 12 - 15 minutes. For thicker fillets such as salmon, corvina, pollock, and halibut bake for 20 - 22 minutes.

Remove from oven and cut a slit in the top being careful of the steam. Either remove the fish and vegetables from the packet and serve on a plate or serve in the foil.