Ginger-Garlic Fish in Parchment Paper

I've been seeing a ton of recipes for fish in parchment paper and I wanted to try it out. This recipe is influenced by Rachael Ray. I changed it a bit, mainly with the veggies. Here is her original recipe. Below is what I did and we LOVED it! Even the kids gobbled it up!

This is a super easy recipe... The hardest part was learning how to wrap the parchment paper... I watched this video to learn how.

* 2 6-oz white fish (We used Ono fish. Seabass would be really good too. Possibly Mahi or Halibut too)
* 2 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces (optional)
* 2 inch knob of fresh ginger- peeled and thinly sliced
* 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
* 1 small zucchini- julienned
* 1 medium carrot- julienned
* 1 1/2 T honey
* 1 1/2 T tamari sause (a fancy kind of soy- found in Asian isle)
* 1 T rice wine vinegar
* salt and pepper
* 2 pieced of 12 inch long Parchment Paper
* Egg wash for brushing parchment paper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Place your parchment paper down. Put an imaginary vertical line down the middle. In the middle of one side... start laying your ingredients.

3. I started by putting the scallions down first along with the sliced ginger and garlic. Next place your fish on top. Season well with pepper and salt. Place your julienned veggies on top of the fish.

4. In a bowl, mix together the honey, tamari sauce and rice wine vinegar till mixed well. Drizzle half of the mixture over each fish.

5. I brushed egg white along the sides of the parchment paper and then rolled up each side (like shown in video making triangles) until it formed two pockets.

6. Place pockets on baking pan and bake for 12-14 minutes (I baked mine for closer to 17 minutes because they were really thick pieces and I like fish a little more done.

Start placing the food in the middle of one half the parchment paper 

I layered by placing scallions, ginger and garlic on bottom, then I laid the fish on top. Season fish with salt and pepper.  Top with a mound of your julienned veggies.

Drizzle sauce over top

Brush with egg was along sides

Fold the other half over till edges line up and fold up to seal

Place pockets on cookie sheet. Bake

Rip (or cut with scissors) open the top... careful for the steam. Don't let juices spill out.

I placed sticky rice on my plate. Then with spatula, I took fish out of pouch with veggies on top and placed on rice. Next I took the pouch and poured the sauce over the top. We served along side green beans too.

YUMMY and healthy!!

Enjoy!

Mahi Mahi with a fresh fruit Salsa

This is SOOO good!! You can really make the salsa with any fruit you want, it works best with really ripe fruit. My friend who gave me the recipe makes hers with just peaches. I like a few different fruits. The fish is good by itself, but what really makes this dish is the sweet chili sauce (must be Mae Ploy brand) and the salsa!

This makes enough for 2-3 people, depending on how hungry you are. I like to serve it along side Rice a Roni Rice pilaf. It works really well together. But any rice or potato would work great!

*12 oz Mahi Mahi- thawed or fresh (cut into two, three or four pieces)
*dash salt, dash pepper
*1 T olive oil
*1/2 T butter

*Small ripe peach, take skin off and dice
*Medium ripe mango, peeled and diced
*1/2 cup fresh pinapple, diced
*1/2 cucumber, de-seeded and sliced into 1 inch pieces
*1 T white vinegar
*1/2 tsp sugar
*dash salt
OPTIONAL- You can also add 1/4 tsp of sesame oil and some sesame seeds. Not required, but if you have them on hand, it adds a nutty flavor.

*Mae Ploy Sweet Chili sauce

1. Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Bring the butter and oil to high temp in a skillet. Once it's hot (just be careful not to burn butter) place fish into skillet. Cook for about 5-6 minutes per side, or until done. Place on plate.

2. Mix the fresh fruit, cucumber, vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl (and sesame oil and seeds if you wish). Serve over fish.

3. Use the chili sauce on the side to dip fish in or drizzle over top.

LOVE THIS

I used less than a quarter of the pineapple

This can be found at some grocery stores... I had to call a few before I found it. It really makes the fish!

Pan Fry on Medium-High till done through and crispy on outside, but not too high that you burn the butter.

Fish should be slightly blackened and crispy on outside.

Mahi Mahi with fruit salsa

If your local store doesn't carry the chili sauce, I know Amazon has it for a good price. This is a must have sauce... really makes the fish!! (It's great with any asian meals I think!

Miso Cod with Spicy Cucumbers

This recipe is again out of the "Cook This, Not That!" book by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding.  Here is the recipe straight from the book... "This dish is slightly more elegant (and considerably more nutritious) than the fishy fare you'll encounter at most chain restaurants, but it's just as easy to prepare. The salty-sweetness of the miso marinade pairs perfectly with the quick-pickled cucumbers for a dish that takes no more than 20 mins of actual cooking time, yet will elevate you to the status of the Iron Chef in the eyes of those you serve it to."

*1 cup white miso paste (found in certain stores in the refrigerated section)
*1/2 cup mirin (found in Asian isle- It's a sweet cooking rice wine)
*2 T Brown Sugar
*4 cod fillets (6 oz each) (you can also use sea bass, swordfish, or halibut)
*1 lg English cucumber, seeded and sliced into half moons
*1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
*1 T salt
*1 T sugar
*2 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Combine miso, mirin and brown sugar in bowl. Stir thoroughly to combine. Pour marinade over fish and marinate in fridge for up to 12 hours. (I did it for about 8)

2. Mix cucumber, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper flakes in a bowl. Allow cucumbers to picke for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hours in fridge (I did 3 hours)

3. Preheat the broiler. Remove the cod from marinade and place on baking sheet. St baking sheet 6 inches below broiler and cook 8-10 mins, until fish is deeply caramelized and flakes with gentle pressure. Serve the cod with the cucumber.

**I also served this over sticky white rice and a side of steamed broccoli that I seasoned with lemon pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Tasty and healthy.  (One helping of the fish and cucumber is 260 calories, 1 g fat) I really liked it and so did my husband and daughter, although they wouldn't eat the cucumbers. The fish was salty, but also sweet and the combination between that and the spicy cucumbers was awesome!

The book compares this meal to P.F. Chang's Oolong Marinated Sea Bass. By making this dish, you save 322 calories and $17.73!

The Mirin and Miso I used for fish and the Rice vinegar for cucumbers...

Marinating fish

Marinating Cucumbers

This was served over rice with the side of steamed broccoli and some left over chayote squash from the night before.

I love the how caramelized the fish gets!

One of my favorite cookbooks. Full of great tips and recipes!

Tortilla Crusted Chipotle and Lime Tilapia

My new obsession are these Tilapia filet's found at Costco as well as many grocery stores... They have all different flavors, but this one is my favorite and make for a healthy meal. The brand is High Liner.

So even though this is not a totally home cooked meal, I had to share it because our family likes these so much... even my kids! I usually just bake as directed on package (7-10 mins at 375) and serve with rice, lots of lime slices (or lemon) and usually some type of veggie or fruit. I love that they are a little less than 4 oz each too... perfect size. These are also good as a fish sandwich or sliced up and served on top of a salad!

Here I served over Minute rice... I like to squeeze LOTS of lime over both the fish AND the rice! 

Check out their products and find out where you can get them near you!
http://www.seacuisine.com/

Asian influenced Butterfish, rice pilaf, and veggies

We love going to Roy's for date night. I am obsessed with their Butterfish. A while back I decided it can't be that hard to make at home so we've been making this dish on occasion. It's still pretty pricy (I think a pound of the fish is around $20 +)

This will serve 2 people:

*3/4-1lb of Butterfish (also known as Black Cod or Sable fish- I get it at Whole foods and it's sold there as
          Black Cod)
*1 1/2 cups yoshida's gourmet sauce
*additional 1/4 cup yoshida's gourmet sauce
*2 T soy sauce
*2 tsp fresh minced garlic
*1 tsp Chinese Five Spice (optional)
*1/2 cup sweet onion- chopped
*1 T EVOO
*1 bay leaf
*2 cups water
*1 cup sticky rice (i like calrose rice)
*1/4 cup chopped green onion
salt/pepper
*1 medium zucchini- julienne
*3 carrots- julienne  or 1/2 cup carrot chips
*1 or 2 bok chow

I marinate the fish for at least 4 hours in a zip lock with 1 1/2 cups yoshida's, the soy sauce, garlic and five spice.

RICE: I start my rice first. On a sauce pan I saute the onion in the EVOO with salt and pepper. Once sauteed, i add a bay leaf, the rice and water. Bring to a boil and simmer till rice is done. Fluff with fork and add hand full of the green onions just before serving. Sometimes i splash a LITTLE soy over top too.

FISH: I made a little pan out of tinfoil, folding up sides. I place fish on it with 1/4 of the marinade. I grill it skin up first. After about 5 minutes I flip it so skin is down. Grill till done. Fish will become very flaky. Skin should just come off (and most likely stick to tin foil)

VEGGIES: I use my mandoline to julienne my veggies. I make another pan from tin foil. I place the julienne carrot's and zucchini on it. (sometimes I add more chopped sweet and green onion to this too and garlic, salt and pepper.) I add the remaining 1/4 cup yoshida's. I place this on grill a few minutes before the fish since the carrots take a tad longer than the fish.  The bok chow I steam. I just place it in my steamer for about 5-10 mins and pour a little olive oil over top.

PRESENTATION: Put scoop of rice on each plate. Lay bok chow over that. Place fish so it leans against rice and bok chow. Place other veggies on side.  (Pictures below show this along with a bowl of lemon butter we use for an artichoke I made)

Great for date night in when you have small kids and they are in bed. I recommend with Cunundrum white wine or Asian beer:)