BBQ Fish in Foil (more recipes)

Lately I've been noticing the price of Salmon and Trout has gone up, while these sturdy types are great for the grill, I'm watching my budget so I've been looking for alternatives.  I've also not been happy with how much fish we've been having in our diets overall so I'm always on the lookout for any type of fish to up our intake.  A lot of the white or smaller fish are just too delicate to handle well on the BBQ, although if you can get a fillet with the skin on then you're in great shape for the grill.  Doing fish in a foil packet makes it manageable so I've been doing them quite often.  (Planking it on cedar planks would work well too!  But that's another post altogether...) Plus you can add veggies and sauce and have a complete meal ready to go.  Let me tell you of two variations I've tried lately that really rocked it out of park. 
I finally came across some catfish.  I love catfish but it's been hard to find at the grocery store.  Used to be you could find it at the fish counter all the time, but not these days.  So I was very excited to find it at the farmers market this past week.  It was amazing!  And here's what I did with it:

Catfish, Spinach and Goat Cheese
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of foil, 12inches X 24 inches each
• Cooking spray
• 3-4 green onions, diced
• 1 lb Catfish
• 2 tsp lemon pepper salt free seasoning or 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp dried dill
• pinch of salt
• 8 cups fresh spinach
• pinch of nutmeg
• 4 ounces goat cheese, about a cup
• 4-8 tbsp of water

Instructions:

1. Divide the above ingredients in 4 to fill 4 packets.
2. Layer them in the order presented above, spray foil on the shiny side with the cooking spray
3. In the middle of the sprayed foil place the green onions, then the fish, followed by the lemon pepper seasoning, dill, salt, spinach, nutmeg.
4. Top with the goat cheese, crumbled
5. Close the packets across the top and one side and pour in 1- 2 tbsp of water in each packet and seal.
6. Bake in a 350 oven or on indirect medium heat on the BBQ for 20 - 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.  Any thicker than 1 inch and you should increase the cooking time another 5 - 10 minutes. 

You can prep these ahead, in the morning when you have time (I did up mine before hitting the yard for some gardening while I still had the energy to care about dinner) or before guests arrive...  So convenient!

 

Thai Flounder, Veggies and Noodles

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of foil, 12" X 24"
• Cooking spray
• 4 cups cooked whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 lb flounder or other white fish
• 4 green onions, diced
• 2 cups diced broccoli (I used frozen and it worked perfect!)
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 roasted red pepper, diced
• 4-8 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can, 14oz light coconut milk
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro and or basil, chopped

 

Instructions:

1. Spray foil sheets on the shiny side with the cooking spray
2. Layer in the spaghetti, fish, green onions, broccoli, carrots, red pepper, and mushrooms
3. Mix the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar and lemon juice.
4. Fold up the packets, leaving one side open.
5. Divide and pour the sauce mix evenly in the 4 packets and fold the remaining side closed on each.
6. Bake at 350 or over indirect heat in a medium BBQ for 20 -25 minutes. 
7. Top with the fresh herbs before serving.

And the very best part of this foil packet method - clean up is a pinch!