Tilapia in Parchment Paper with Chive Blossoms

Cooking with parchment paper is an easy way to create a delicious meal quickly for a weeknight entrée. This version features tilapia that is economical and chive blossoms that add a wonderful flavor to a fish that at times needs a little boost of flavor. The unique flavor of the blossom will remind you of a bit of garlic, onion, radish and of course a chive flavor. Chives are a hardy plant that come back every year and will get bigger each year. Around the middle of May, the chive plant grows blossoms that are a beautiful purple color. If you do not have parchment paper, heavy duty foil can be used too. The recipe ingredients reflect a single serving. Increase amounts to accommodate your desired menu. 

Ingredients

One 3 – 4 oz. tilapia filet
1 chive blossom, finely minced
1 tablespoon of Smart Balance brand butter
6 thinly slices of lemon (A half of a lemon was used in this case, but it will depend on the size of your lemon and how thin you slice them.)
A light sprinkle of kosher salt
Parchment paper or heavy duty foil

Technique

Cut a piece of parchment paper or foil to about 10 inches in length and 12 inches in width. Place the parchment paper or foil on a baking sheet. Half of the sheet should be flat and the other flat will be the “cover”. Arrange 3 of the lemon slices on the parchment paper or foil place fish on top of lemon slices. Lightly spread Smart Balance brand butter over fish and sprinkle minced chive blossoms and a pinch of salt over the top of the fish. Cover with remaining slices of lemon. Fold paper or foil overlapping each other in increments of 1 – 2 inches crimping to seal. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Plate and carefully open package, because hot steam will be released. Serve in parchment paper or foil or remove for plating.

Suggested Side Dish

Lemon Rice with Fresh Dill, or Baked Fingerling Potatoes with Lemon Infused Olive Oil and Fresh Dill.

Suggested Beverage

Try Excelsior Chardonnay (South Africa), Villa Maria Chardonnay Private Bin (Marlborough, New Zealand), Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc (California), Samuel Adams® Hefeweizen (Boston, MA) with a lemon wedge or Flensburger Brauerei Weizen Wheat Beer (Germany) with lemon wedges.

Chatty Advice

When making any of our gluten-free recipes take care in reading the labels of any packaged or canned products. If there is a label on anything you are using, read it or ask to make sure that it is indeed gluten-free. Many products vary in ingredients from brand to brand. Some examples of this can be found when looking at the labels of soy sauce, mustard, distilled vinegar, and even chicken broth.