Steamed Tilapia with Crisp Vegetables

Mar 3, 2009 by Anna Migeon

This is a super simple, quick and yummy early springtime recipe that I am sure would have intrigued me when I was a kid, with its foil "en papillote" (al Cartoccio in Italian) cooking technique. Heck, I’m impressed with myself now when I use it. It adds gourmet flair to a meal and it’s perfect for delicate fish fillets.

16 thin asparagus

¼ lb snow peas

1 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 small red, orange or yellow bell pepper

½ C chopped mixed herbs, such as tarragon, chives, parsley (optional, or do the best you can. It’s not worth spending $2 a piece on fresh herbs at the store)

Salt and pepper

Four 6-oz tilapia or cod fillets

4 T white wine (I buy the small bottles that come in a four-pack for cooking) or lemon juice

2 T unsalted butter or olive oil

You will need a large pot fitted with two stackable steamer baskets or two pots each fitted with a steamer basket, with an inch of water in the bottom.

Tear off four 15-inch sheets of foil. Mound one-fourth of the vegetables in the center of each sheet. Sprinkle the vegetables with the herbs and season with salt and pepper. Set a filet of fish on each mound of vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Top each with 1 T of wine (careful to bring the edges of the foil up so it doesn't pour out) and ½ T of butter. Fold up the foil edges and seal.

Transfer the packages to the steamer baskets. Cover and steam for about 15 minutes. Transfer them to a platter and let rest for five minutes or so (while you eat your first course).

Open the packages carefully, slide the fish and vegetables along with any juices onto plates, and serve.

Could be served with rice. Otherwise, a piece of bread will be welcome to dip in the sauce.

Serves four.

Adapted from Food & Wine