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Foil packet cooking is a lifesaver on hot days when you’d rather not be stuck in the kitchen! 
Simply make the packets, toss them on the grill, and enjoy a light and healthy meal in less than half an hour. 
Plus, cleanup is a breeze – just toss the packets in the trash when you’re done! 
And don’t worry, this method isn’t just for warm weather – you can whip up delicious foil packet meals in the oven year-round! 
This recipe features orange roughy fillets, but you can get creative with any fish, lean protein, and veggie combo you like. 
Orange Roughy with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes
This recipe calls for oven-roasted tomatoes. Oven drying is a great way to use up excess tomatoes from your garden or the farmers’ market. In addition, the process of drying them concentrates their flavor by removing excess moisture. The result is a really sweet, delicious burst of flavor in each bite.
To make, slice tomatoes into 2” thick slices and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over the slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with fresh thyme leaves, if desired. Place in a pre-heated 200-degree oven for approximately 2 hours. When finished, the tomatoes will be nicely browned around the edges. Remove from oven and use immediately or store in an airtight container covered with olive oil. Can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
NOTE: You can use fresh or preserved lemons to make this recipe. Preserved lemons are recommended because they add a lot more flavor. You can either buy a container of preserved lemons or easily make your own with Himalayan salt blocks. A word of caution, however, if you use preserved lemons, don’t add additional salt to the filets without tasting.
Ingredients:
- 4 orange roughy filets
- 4 oven-dried tomato slices
- 4 fresh or preserved lemon slices, cut in half
- 2 T. fresh thyme
- 4 T. unsalted butter
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
If preparing indoors, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Tear off 4 sheets of aluminum foil into sections large enough to fold over filets, with another couple of inches on each side to seal. Place a filet slightly off center on each sheet and place 1 large oven-dried tomato slice and 2 lemon slice halves on top of each. Top each filet with ¼ of the fresh thyme and add 1 T. of butter to each packet. If desired, sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
To seal packet, fold aluminum foil in half over the ingredients. Fold the 3 open sides, one at a time, over several times to seal the packet completely. The goal is to seal the packet tight enough to hold in the steam, but allow enough room for the air to expand.
Place foil packet in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or place on hot grill over medium, direct heat and cook for about 8 – 10 minutes. Add a couple minutes to your cooking time if starting with frozen filets.
To serve, open the foil packets, carefully avoiding the hot steam. Discard lemon slices. Transfer filets to plates (if desired) or leave inside foil packets. Serve with Mediterranean pasta salad or another side dish with complementary flavors.
