Lighten this traditional Jamaican dish by steaming the fish in parchment paper instead of frying it.
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 1½-inch thick white fish fillets, such as cod or halibut (about 2 lbs.)
¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste, divided
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 medium zucchini (about ½ lb.), peeled and julienned
½ medium carrot, peeled and julienned
½ small white onion, thinly sliced
½ red bell pepper, julienned
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced
¾ cup water
¾ cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut 4 pieces parchment paper into 15-by-15-inch squares. Brush the center of the parchment paper with the olive oil, then place a fillet in the center of each square. Season the fillets with salt and pepper to taste. Top each fillet with 1 teaspoon butter. Set aside.
• Place the zucchini, carrot, onion and peppers in a quart-sized zip-close bag.
• In a small bowl, combine the water, vinegar, sugar and Œ teaspoon salt. Add the mixture to the zip-close bag. Seal and shake the bag to evenly distribute the marinade. Marinate at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes.
• Drain the mixture in a fine-mesh strainer then evenly distribute the vegetables on top of the fillets.
• Seal the packets by bringing up the sides of the parchment paper and tightly folding them down. Tightly fold the two open ends.
• Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes.
• To serve, place each packet on a plate. Use a knife to cut open, being careful to avoid escaping steam.
This article appears in August 2015.