Name: Thai-Style Fish and Creamy Coconut Rice Packets for Two
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: ½ cup canned coconut milk; ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro; 4 teaspoons Thai green curry paste; 1 teaspoon grated lime zest , plus lime wedges; 2 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless halibut fillets , ¾ to 1 inch thick; Salt and pepper; 2 cups cooked rice; Lime wedge

Why This Recipe Works

Not only do the fillets cook evenly when cooking fish en papillote, or in a packet, but the technique encourages the fish to absorb all the flavors within the packet, and clean up is a breeze. For a Thai-inspired take on this dish, we combined meaty halibut fillets and rice with a quick yet potent sauce made from coconut milk, green curry paste, lime zest, and a little cilantro, which we simply whisked together. The sauce did more than infuse the fish with flavor; it also provided a burst of color and transformed the rice into a rich, creamy accompaniment for the halibut. A sprinkle of cilantro and a squeeze of lime just before serving highlighted the flavor of the sauce and brightened the dish.

Before You Begin

Try to purchase halibut fillets that are similar in size so that they cook at the same rate. If the fillets are much thinner than ¾ inch, simply fold them over to make them thicker. Cod and haddock are good substitutes for the halibut. You can use fresh rice, leftover rice, or store-bought precooked rice here.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk coconut milk, 3 tablespoons cilantro, curry paste, and lime zest together in bowl.

Pat halibut dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Cut two 14 by 12-inch rectangles of aluminum foil and lay them flat on counter. Mound 1 cup cooked rice in center of each piece of foil, then place fillets on top. Spoon coconut mixture over top of fillets, then tightly crimp foil into packets.

Set packets on rimmed baking sheet and bake until halibut flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 degrees, 18 to 20 minutes. (To check temperature, poke thermometer through foil of one packet and into halibut.) Carefully open packets, allowing steam to escape away from you. Sprinkle fillets with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro and serve with lime wedges.