I often have very mediocre results when cooking fish (consider it my very own kitchen nemesis). But I was inspired by Faith's review of Emeril's Fish Provencal, which seemed foolproof in its simplicity. That recipe gets cooked on the grill, however, and I wanted something easy to pop in our oven. Inspiration, thy name is foil packets.
This is really a template for any type of baked fish. I used cod, but you could just as easily go with halibut, tilapia, salmon, or whatever looks good and fresh at the fish counter. Closing everything up in a packet steams the fish and vegetables while keeping them moist.
I love this dish with baby spinach and cherry tomatoes leftover from salads during the week, but you could really use any combination of "Greens + Veggies + Herbs". You could go Asian with some bok choy, soy sauce, and ginger; Indian with peas, cauliflower, and curry powder; or Greek with some olives, spinach, and za'atar.
You wind up with a lot of juices in the foil packet, so open it carefully to avoid making a mess. Scoop out the fish and vegetables with a slotted spatula and then spoon some of the juices over top. A crusty piece of bread on the side and a glass of wine makes this a super fast yet fancy weeknight meal.
Baked Fish, Spinach, and Tomatoes in Foil Packets
Serves two
1 pound fish fillets, about 1-inch thick
2 large handfuls baby spinach leaves
1 quarter red onion, thinly sliced
20 or so cherry tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 lemon, cut into 2 wedges
Salt and pepper
Olive oil or butter
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Check the fish over and remove any pin bones. Divide it into two equal portions.
Lay out two sheets of aluminum foil, each about 12-14 inches long. Pile a large handful of baby spinach leaves in the middle of each piece of foil. Lay one fish fillet on each bed of spinach. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Lay a few slices of onion over the top of each fillet and scatter the cherry tomatoes on and around the fish. Lay two sprigs of thyme over top. Give each packet a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil (or a pat of butter).
Fold the sides of the foil inwards around the fish. Then fold in the top and bottom of the foil and pinch them closed, creating a neat package. Set them side-by-side on a baking sheet and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the fish is opaque.
Open the packets carefully to avoid spilling the juices. Eat straight from the packets or transfer to a plate with a slotted spatula. Spoon some of the juices over top. Eat immediately.
Related: Recipe: Fish Steamed in Banana Leaves
This post was originally published 09/09/08
(Images: Emma Christensen)
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Parchment work just as well in the place of foil. I almost always cook fish like this - it never drys out. This combination sounds fantastic...
Sounds good, I love halibut. Did you bake the foil packets on the rack or on a baking sheet?
amybnyc- definitely on a baking sheet. I added that to the directions. Thanks!
I cook my fish in foil packets on the grill.
You don't have to turn the oven on and heat up the kitchen, and you don't have that lingering "fishy" smell in the house!
Actually you no what you can do to get rid of that fishy smell or any other strong smell when you cook. Just boil water in small pot and add cinnamon sticks. Your house will smell great! Try it.
just made this, no fishy smell in my kitchen, just yummy aromatics! Cooked in exactly the same amount of time as the couscous I did to go with it. Start to finish, with vegetable prep wasn't much more than 20 or 25 min. Definitely making this style recipe again
This looks good! Just a thought though-- if I'm going to fork out the cash to buy halibut I'm certainly not going to look for a "clean out the fridge recipe" for it. I'm going to do something really special with it. Not saying this recipe doesn't look good though! If money weren't a major factor for me I'd cook fish all the time, and I'm sure I'd try this!
does the fish ever taste tinny after cooking in the foil?
Brian, no, the fish doesn't taste tinny after cooking in the foil. It tastes pretty great actually as the foil contains the steam and keeps the fish from drying out.
Meg, I find halibut on the expensive side too so I just use a cheaper white fish like cod or whatever is in the frozen food section there along with the halibut. The cheaper fish is usually thinner so I do two fish fillets per packet, one on top of the other so they don't dry out. I have to try making it with halibut one day.
I like to do this with salmon whenever I don't feel like searing. Almost always guarantees moist and fragrant piece of fish, and works with almost any combination of herbs and aromatics you might have on hand.
I do this with parchment and usually cod, since that's generally the least expensive hook-caught sustainable fish sold at my co-op. I like to include slivers of garlic and a couple of slices of lemon to the packet. This dish is so quick and easy but makes for a meal that feels very special.
I did an Asian version last week with halibut. Ponzu, a little sesame oil, fresh ginger to flavour the fish and then bok choy, thinly sliced carrots, matchstick zucchini under the fish. So easy and tasty!
Parchment, parchment, parchment. I believe foil imparts an off flavor.
i do this all the time! i always just put the packets directly on the rack. i also usually lay down a layer of lemon slices beneath the layer of spinach. i've never tried adding tomatoes, but now i'm totally inspired!
I have these in the oven right now!! I am using flounder. This is such a great way to make fish, and super healthy. Thank you for posting this! I am going to make fish all the time now! :)
I try this with snapper, which is a bit of a sweet fish, and I usually use parchment paper. I sometimes use a vegetable or chicken broth (about a quarter cup per packet) - the steam and moisture adds additional flavour and you can use the crusted bread to dip into the broth....
This made a wonderful quick but fancy dinner for two! We used zucchini instead of tomatoes, and the foil did not affect the taste at all. I like the idea of using a layer of lemon slices as a base, will have to try that next time! My boyfriend not only finished his whole portion but was eyeing mine as well, so this will definitely become a regular on our menu.
Has anyone used frozen fish fillets in this recipe?
What is the difference between individual packets and putting foil over a pan containing the same ingredients?