Contributed By: Kay Davis
Fish cooked en papillote is wrapped in parchment paper, and baked in the oven so it gently steams in its own juices. A bed of vegetables and aromatics, such as dill, sliced onions, and olives, are also enclosed in the package to flavor the fish. It is a French term named after the traditional heart-butterfly shape in which the parchment is cut (Papillon is the French word for butterfly). For ease, we will use simple rectangles of parchment paper this evening.
You may substitute aluminum foil for the paper, but if you do so, avoid using a large amount of acidic ingredients like lemons, tomatoes, and white wine, which will react with the foil and cause an unpleasant taste ? small amounts of these ingredients are OK. When the fish is done, the parchment will puff dramatically If you use foil, the fish will cook slightly more quickly and the foil will not puff up as much.
While you might not be familiar with this fish, Tilapia has been around for thousands of years. Originally found in the Nile River, Tilapia is one of the first fish to be farmed. It is also supposed to be the fish that Jesus Christ used to feed the masses. Today more than 1 billion pounds of Tilapia is produced every year. Talk about feeding the masses!
Tilapia is a white fish that has a mild flavor and flaky, firm texture. It is versatile and easily adapted to most any kind of cooking. This fish is very low in fat, free of saturated fat and high in protein. Tilapia can be substituted for many kinds of fish, especially orange roughy, red snapper, sea bass or porgy. Tilapia skin has a bitter flavor so you will only find skinless fillets in the market, which makes Tilapia perfect for quick weeknight meals. I should also note that I've never found a single bone in a piece of Tilapia.
They are small fish, weighing around 1 to 2 pounds. They are also a very important fish and will become more so in the years to come. The reason for this is that the Tilapia that you buy are raised on fish farms. This means that the species is controlled in population and we don't have to worry about them being fished to near extinction like the Chilean Sea Bass or Swordfish. This also means that there is a consistent and constant supply of Tilapia year round, which makes it AFFORDABLE.
(KEE noh ah or KEEN wah) is a grain plant native to the Andes Mountains of South America. For centuries, quinoa has been one of the chief foods of Andean Indians.
It has been called the "mother grain" of the Inca because of its importance to the ancient Inca civilization. Quinoa was introduced into the United States during the 1980's. It is cultivated at high elevations in parts of Colorado, Oregon, and Washington.
Nutritionally, quinoa might be considered a supergrain--although it is not really a grain, but the seed of a leafy plant that's distantly related to spinach. Quinoa has excellent reserves of protein, and unlike other grains, is not missing the amino acid lysine, so the protein is more complete. The World Health Organization has rated the quality of protein in quinoa at least equivalent to that in milk. Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and has some folate (folic acid).
Quinoa has a light, delicate taste, and can be substituted for almost any other grain. Since it only takes 15 minutes to cook, it can easily be a part of a healthy weeknight dinner. It's neutral taste takes well to whatever seasonings you add to it.
Created on ... November 19, 2006