Striped Bass Fish Packets

My stomach is finally feeling back to normal after all of the meat I ate last week, with a lot of that do to the vegetarian meals I've been eating. The problem with eating vegetarian meals is that, since I'm not a practicing vegetarian, I don't think I'm very good at the veg lifestyle. Mainly because, when I eat vegetarian, I rely a lot on starches and cheese. I've been working on not doing that, but I still find it's a lot easier to eat vegetarian when you do use rice, pasta, etc.

In an effort to stop eating starch, I prepared this ridiculously simple fish packet recipe. This recipe is great because it's so interchangeable--while I used striped bass, you can literally use any fish you can think of, from tilapia, to salmon, to even swordfish. The cooking time will vary, obviously, based on how dense the fish is, but the basic recipe remains the same. You can also change the vegetables layered underneath depending on preference or the season. You can add herbs, dried or fresh, add citrus (lemons, limes, etc.), as long as you keep a liquid in the mix to let the fish steam. It's the perfect recipe for families, as everyone can make their own little packet, since this recipe is not as good if more than one serving is in the same foil packet. It's also a great recipe when you have company for the exact same reason, but also because every person gets their own little packet put on their plate. I used foil, because I had it on hand, but to really amp up the dish for company I recommend using parchment paper, which looks a little fancier, along with fresh herbs on top. It really classes up the dish. And it's so simple, you won't spend a lot of time in the kitchen!

Striped Bass Fish Packets
Downloadable PDF here

Ingredients:

6. oz fillet of striped bass (for each person)

½ summer squash

½ zucchini

2 cloves garlic

Olive oil

½ cup white wine

Foil/parchment paper for the packet

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Slice summer squash, zucchini and garlic into slim circles. Layer the zucchini and squash in two rows in the middle of a 1 ft. piece of foil. Place garlic in the middle of the two rows.

3. Rinse the striped bass fillet and lightly pat dry. Place on top of the layered vegetables. Fold all sides of the foil up to form a dish-like shape. Pour the white wine on top and drizzle olive oil over the fish. Fold the foil in the center so that the package is completely closed--if air escapes, the fish will not steam as well.

4. Place the packet in the middle of the preheated oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on how well done you would like your fish. Make sure to NOT open the package until the time is up. When it is, remove the package from the oven and carefully open as steam will escape.

I recommend serving the entire packet on your plate--less dishes and it keeps all the yummy sauce inside!