Out and About in Dubai

One of my favorite easy-peasy meals is Fish-in-a-Bag. Everything goes into a foil packet or parchment paper, it can be prepared and refrigerated a few hours prior to cooking, and then popped into the oven when you or your hubby gets home. In 20 minutes, you’ll have a nice piping hot dinner with hardly any clean-up! For entertaining, use parchment paper (it presents nicer) and serve it straight from the oven to the dining table.

The recipes are quite versatile so feel free to modify it to suit your taste or accommodate whatever is in the fridge. Works best with any non-oily white fish: cod, tilapia, hammour, cream dory, etc.

(1) Asian Fish-in-a-Bag (serves 2)

• 2 sheets aluminum foil or parchment paper (~12 x 24 inches)
• 2 fish fillets (5-6 ounces each)
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 2 cups coarsely chopped bok choy or napa cabbage
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 Tb vegetable oil
• 1 ts sesame oil
• 2 Tb soy sauce
• 1ts grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• dash of cayenne or Chile oil (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F. Fold each sheet of foil or paper in half so that it forms a double layer square. Bush a little oil on the center part of each square. Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Spread half of the rice on the center of each square and then layer with half of the greens and then the fish. Mix the oils, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and cayenne together and pour half of the mixture over each packet. Fold foil/paper into airtight packets. Bake for 20 minutes. Be careful when opening the packets as the steam is extremely hot. You can eat straight out of the packets or transfer the contents onto a plate.

(2) French Fish-in-a-Bag (serves 2)

• 2 sheets aluminum foil or parchment paper (~12 x 24 inches)
• 2 fish fillets (5-6 ounces each)
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 Tb olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1 Tb chopped fresh basil, rosemary, or thyme (or 1 ts dried)

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F. Fold each sheet of foil or paper in half so that it forms a double layer square. Bush a little oil on the center part of each square. Rinse the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Layer half of the ingredients in the middle of each square in this order: zucchini, mushrooms, fish, and onion slices. Mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, wine, salt, pepper, and herbs and sprinkle half of the mixture over each packet. Fold foil/paper into airtight packets. Bake for 20 minutes. Be careful when opening the packets as the steam is extremely hot. You can eat straight out of the packets or transfer the contents onto a plate.

Enjoy!

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