The other day I was searching through our freezer, trying to find some suppertime inspiration. As I was searching, I uncovered a packet of Pompano fish fillets. Not having had fish for a few months the Pompano decided the fate of our suppertime menu. Baked fish fillets!
Over the Fourth of July, my husband, Bryce, went deep sea fishing with buddies in Texas and caught some monster fish!
I know, what a guy! (I may be a little biased..)
Some of the fish the guys caught were things I’d never really heard of. Red Snapper, Mahi Mahi, King Fish, and Pompano. Just to name a few.
Why Bake Fish Fillets?
Usually when Bryce and I cook a fish fillet, we pan fry it with plenty of butter, garlic, and lemon juice.
However, this time I decided it was time to switch things up and try a different cooking method. This led me down many rabbit holes of research, exploring different ideas of baking fish.
My biggest concern with baking fish was having the fillet dry out. I found plenty of baked fillet recipes where the fish was left uncovered in a baking dish.
Now, I highly value my time in the kitchen. Kitchen time is relaxing and a bit of stress reliever. But, if I can cut out a little extra hassle in the kitchen, you bet I’m going to try it!
And while these uncovered baked fish fillets seemed easy enough, I was pretty skeptical with the how the end product would be…
I had always wanted to try baking fish in parchment paper. I’ve heard you can capture some great flavors without drying the fish out that way. By placing the fish in a little sealed packet you’re just steaming it and retaining all of the lemon juice and butter placed in the packet rather than cooking it away.
If you don’t believe me on this, check with one of the experts. Joanna Gaines.
She’s definitely a role model of mine. Anyway, she has an awesome recipe for parchment paper baked fish.
You can find Joanna’s recipe in her new cookbook: Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering
HOWEVER, parchment paper is not something I readily keep on hand at home…
Parchment Paper Substitutes?
So searching for a substitute, I decided on aluminum foil. I did have a small concern that the fish could dry out and stick to the foil.
However, by coating the foil with a vegetable oil spray and placing the sliced lemons on the bottom was a perfect solution to keep the fillets from sticking.
The packet itself is simple to make. It’s just a matter of folding the aluminum foil around the fish so none of the butter or lemon juice escapes!
One of my favorite additions to this recipe was the addition of slices of carrots and green pepper! YUM! Plus, these veggies also jazz up the look of the fish with their bright colors!
Once the packets have been formed, you should be ready to throw those babies in the oven! Bake times will vary, depending upon the size of the fillets you’re working with.
For two 4-5 ounce fillets, I baked them for about 20 minutes. If the fish starts to flake apart when you stick a fork into the fillet, then you should be good!
If you’re questioning what to serve with a fillet of fish, be sure to check out my recipe for Easy Rice Pilaf! It’s another quick recipe to perfectly round out your meal!
And there you have it folks! A quick recipe for baked fish fillets!
DON’T WANT TO MISS A THING?
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest! Or why not subscribe to The Farmer’s Wife to get all of the latest family favorites from The Cookbook and updates of Life on the Farm?
–The Farmer’s Wife-
Baked Fish Fillets
Ingredients
- 1 8-10 ounce white fish fillet, divided
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small carrot, shredded
- ⅛ green pepper, thinly sliced
- ¼ small onion, diced
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp rosemary
- ⅛ tsp Italian seasoning
- aluminum foil Or Parchment Paper
- vegetable oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Tear off two pieces of aluminum foil into about 12 inch x 12 inch squares
- Spray a thin coat of vegetable oil spray on each of the aluminum foil squares
- Slice the middle of the lemon into 8 thin slices, slicing off the ends to be squeezed over the fillets later
- Place 4 of the lemon slices on a square of aluminum foil. Repeat for the other piece of foil
- Dice and grate the green pepper, onion, and carrots. Set aside
- Place one of the fillets on top of the 4 slices of lemon. Repeat for the other fillet
- Sprinkle seasonings on top of fillets. Add ½ of grated vegetables to the top of the seasoned fish fillets.
- Squeeze the ends of the sliced lemon over each of the fish fillets
- Add 1 tbsp of butter to the top of the vegetables and fish
- Fold aluminum foil up until the fish and lemon juice is sealed
- Place both packets on a baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes when a fork is stuck into the fillets
Leave a Reply