Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Lemongrass Cilantro Mojo Papillote

I know this isn't much to look at, but I really enjoyed this dish a lot. My sous chef wasn't as crazy on the flavor of the lemongrass. If you want, add less lemongrass and add more to taste when you're blending the mixture in step 1. The recipe below serves four people. I served mine with a parsnip puree.

Ingredients:
5 (4-inch) lemongrass stalks, white bulb only, root end trimmed, outer layers peeled off, and stalk bruised with the back of a knife, thinly sliced
1 tightly packed cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tightly packed cup fresh mint leaves, plus 2 tablespoons chopped for garnish
1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 jalapeƱos, halved, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 (6-ounce) skinless tilapia fillets, 3/4- to 1-inch thick

Directions:
1. Place lemongrass, all but 2 tablespoons cilantro, mint, water, garlic, jalapeno, paprika, and salt in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add oil and vinegar and process until smooth. Place fish in a large baking dish, cover with mojo, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to an hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place four 16-inch long pieces of parchment paper on your work surface with the short side facing you. Crease each down the middle horizontally. Place a fillet in the center of the bottom half of the rectangle. Pour about 1/4 cup mojo on top and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon remaining cilantro. Fold the parchment over so that the top and bottom edges meet. Tightly crimp from one end around to the other and fold the edges of parchment to seal the package. Repeat with remaining fillets. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 9 to 10 minutes for 3/4-inch thick fillets or up to 12 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets.
3. Place fish packets on a large serving dish and open tableside. Serve with juices from the packets and sprinkled with mint leaves.

Note: I didn't use as much EVOO and I didn't have parchment paper so I put my fish in a glass dish, covered them with the sauce and baked it covered in foil. Calories per serving: 375 calories.


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