Monday, May 3, 2010

Successful dinner

As some of you might know, I experiment with food rather than cook it properly with recipes and the like. This one is simple enough that someone probably has already written it, but I didn't see it with a cursory Google search.

This is blogworthy because there was NO microwaving involved, and it wasn't a disaster.

1 Tilapia fillet (I bought individually wrapped frozen from Schnucks)
1/4tsp each of salt, lemon zest (peel), white pepper
2-3 fresh/frozen cayenne peppers
Foil & water

1 cup Bow Tie pasta
Salt & water

First, I thawed the fish. This took a while. They suggest thawing overnight in the fridge, but alternatively allow you to thaw it in cool water.
Second, I rubbed the salt, lemon zest and white pepper evenly over the fish and set it in foil, making a bowl shape with the foil.
Third, I slitted (cut, but not all the way through) the cayenne peppers and arranged them around the fish.
Fourth, I added about a tablespoon of water along with the juices from the bag the fish came in.
I closed the foil, leaving a vent hole in it, and baked that for about 17 minutes at 400°F.

While that cooked, I prepared Bow Tie pasta, putting that on the plate once it was done. I don't like mine al dente, but you might, and instructions vary by the pasta, so read the side of the box for how to cook that.

I took the tilapia out and carefully lifted it out of the foil and onto the "bed" of pasta. It fell apart on me, so I should have been more careful.

As an anti-vegetarian, this was a very successful medium effort meal. More effort than the microwave (sorry), but tasted so much better and was so much more moist.

I'm pretty sure this can be done over a campfire as well, though you're probably not going to catch frozen tilapia while out camping, and keeping your campfire at 400°F is a little tricky. ;)
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