A peek inside the refrigerator had me staring at some verdant and fresh, in-season brussel sprouts, sitting alongside with fresh Italian parsley, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. I put on my thinking cap and voila! This is what i came up with….
I decided to make a Thai-flavoured pesto with parsley, basil, garlic and lemongrass. And paired it with Tilapia fish fillets. Then sealed them in aluminium foil pouches, along with kaffir lime leaves and zucchini and baked them. The end result was delicious, flaky fish delicately scented with the kaffir and a clean and fresh taste in every bite. The only glitch though, the zucchini gave out a little water while baking, though in no ways did it mar the flavour or texture of the dish.
Served with a side of roasted and crispy brussel sprouts and sweet white potatoes and yam.
A healthy marriage of protein and fresh Fall veggies, brought together by aromatic and subtle Thai flavourings. My flavorsome, delicious and healthy creation from my kitchen today…..
Servings 2
4 Tilapia fillets, 4 ounces each. Or any firm white fish fillets
4 kaffir lime leaves
For the pesto rub:
A handful of fresh Italian parsley
A few fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. chopped lemongrass
1 small green chile, chopped
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
Salt and lemon juice
1/2 tsp.white pepper powder
For the veggies:
1 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 lb. brussel sprouts, trimmed and sliced in half.
1 white sweet potato, peeled and cut in small cubes
1 orange sweet potato or yam, peeled and cut in small cubes
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
3-4 garlic cloves
4 sheets of aluminium foil
Put all ingredients for the pesto rub in a small food processor. Grind to form a paste.
Add a little salt and white pepper to the fish. Add 
the pesto rub to the fish fillets and mix well. Keep aside for 30 mins.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Line 2 small baking sheets with aluminium foil. Place the sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts on each sheet. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper and extra virgin oil, to all the veggies. Add the whole garlic cloves to the sweet potatoes. Add balsamic vine
gar to the brussel sprouts. Mix well. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 mins.
Fold four sheets of foil in half crosswise to crease, and then unfold. Place a little zucchini on one side of the crease on each sheet of foil. Layer a fillet on topof it. Put a kaffir lime leaf. Working with 1 foil sheet at a time, fold the foil over the fillet and tightly crimp the edges of the foil to close the pouches. Place each pouch on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 mins. Open each pouch carefully after removing from the oven, asit will be hot and steaming. Serve on a platter along with the brussel sprouts and root veggies.
My Kitchen Flavors 