Steamed Fish & Vegetables
Submitted by jake
Steamed halibut fish packets with sugar snap peas served over fresh diced tomatoes and basil. A light, naturally gluten-free dinner that cooks in just 5 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
1 hrsThis is a clever home version of fish en papillote. The steam gets trapped inside a pouch to cook the fish gently while infusing it with the flavor of whatever you layer alongside. Halibut, with its mild flavor and firm flake, holds up well under this gentle steam.
Rubbing the halibut with lemon juice first tightens the flesh slightly and keeps it from falling apart. Sugar snap peas underneath lift the fish off the hot cake rack, and they release their own sweet juices into the packet as they steam.
The raw tomato dice underneath isn’t a garnish, it’s the sauce. Fresh diced tomato tossed with olive oil acts like a warm salsa that mingles with the steaming juices as you plate. Basil at the last second keeps the herbal punch bright.
Kitchen Tips
- Blanched snap peas release less water into the packet; if using raw, add 30 seconds to cook time
- Prefer parchment folded into a proper papillote over plastic for higher-heat steaming
- Flip the packet so snap peas are on top during steaming; this lifts the fish off the hot bottom
- Fish is done when it flakes with gentle pressure from a fork, around 5 minutes for thin fillets
- Seed the tomatoes before dicing so the sauce stays bright, not watery
Variations
- Swap halibut for cod, tilapia, or any firm white fish
- Use snow peas or thin asparagus spears in place of sugar snaps
- Add a sliver of ginger and a drop of sesame oil for an Asian-leaning profile
Ingredients
Directions
Tear off 2 large pieces of plastic wrap (the type which is designed to use in the microwave oven); each one should be large enough to enclose the fish and vegetables in a single layer.
Rub lemon juice on both sides of halibut.
Layer half cup of snow peas on bottom of plastic wrap and drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil.
Place fish over that and bring up plastic wrap to totally enclose the fish.
Set a cake rack over simmering water in a deep skillet.
Turn fish packages upside down so snow peas are on top.
Layer them on the cake rack and cover with a round bowl or cover to entrap steam.
Cook for 5 minutes or until fish and vegetables are cooked through.
While fish is steaming, remove tomato seeds with a spoon and cut them into a fine dice; toss with dice with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and spoon the tomatoes on dinner plates.
Pose fish and vegetables over tomatoes and drizzle juices over the top; season with salt and pepper and garnish top with basil.
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