Parcels of flavour

ASIAN FISH PARCELS

250ml coconut milk

125ml chicken stock

15ml fish sauce

15ml lime juice

4cm piece of ginger, sliced

1 chilli, seeded and chopped

15ml roughly chopped garlic

125ml chopped fresh coriander leaves

125ml basil, chopped

4 portions firm white fish

1 leek, white part only, cleaned and julienned

1 red pepper, julienned

2 large carrots, peeled and julienned

8 slices of lime or lemon

chopped coriander for garnish

baking paper

string

In an ovenproof baking dish, combine the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, chilli, garlic, coriander and basil. Add the fish, turn to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Remove the fish from the marinade. Add the vegetables to the marinade. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the vegetables are cooked, drain the cooking liquid through a sieve into a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat to reduce.

Pat the fish dry. In the centre of a piece of baking paper, place a ¼ of vegetables, top with 1 portion fish and 2 slices fresh lime, and fold the paper around the fish and vegetables like a package. Secure with the kitchen string and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the packets to individual serving plates and cut open to reveal.

Garnish with fresh coriander and a wedge of lime.

SALMON AND HERB PARCELS ON THE BRAAI

1 bunch of coriander

12 mint leaves

5ml salt

15ml chopped garlic

1 green chilli, seeded and chopped

60ml lemon or lime juice

15ml castor sugar

10ml chopped ginger

30ml fish sauce

4x150g salmon fillets

baking paper

The Star newspaper

Make sure your braai or gas braai is nice and hot first.

In a food processor, blend together the coriander leaves and stalks, mint, salt, garlic and chillies to make a paste.

Add the lime juice, castor sugar, ginger and fish sauce and process until smooth.

Combine half the marinade with the salmon and marinate for 20 minutes.

When ready to cook, wrap a piece of salmon, with a little of the marinade, in a piece of baking paper. Place on a piece of newspaper, folding up over the salmon so the edges of the paper meet. Fold the paper tightly along the edges forming a semi-circle or crescent as you go.

Wet the newspaper parcel before placing on a hot braai or gas braai for 10 minutes.

Remove the newspaper and baking paper and drizzle the fish with the remaining marinade.

l Any firm fish can be used in place of salmon.

STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST PARCELS

125ml sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced

125ml feta cheese, crumbled

30ml chopped fresh basil

15ml chopped fresh oregano

5ml chopped garlic

salt and pepper

4 chicken breast fillets

50g butter, cut into 8 cubes

5ml grated lemon rind

50ml chicken stock

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Combine tomatoes, feta, basil, oregano, garlic and pepper in a bowl.

Butterfly the chicken breasts by slicing them on the side, but not all the way through. Open them out.

Between two sheets of plastic wrap, pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Put a quarter of the tomato mixture onto each chicken breast and roll up. Season with salt and pepper.

Take a 30cm sheet of heavy-duty aluminium foil, place two cubes of butter in the centre. Lay one stuffed chicken breast on top of the butter. Place some grated lemon rind on each breast and drizzle each with chicken stock.

Roll foil over chicken to form a sausage shape, and tightly seal edges. Place packets on a baking sheet and bake at 200°C for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Unfold packets carefully and thinly slice each chicken breast. Garnish each serving with sliced basil.

Serve immediately.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE PARCELS

Serves 4

400g cherry tomatoes

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 2cm pieces

1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into 2cm pieces

2-3 baby marrows, trimmed and thickly sliced

400g can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

50 green olives

50g black olives

10ml finely grated lemon rind

salt and pepper

15ml drained baby capers

30ml olive oil

10ml dried oregano

100g feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 220°C.

Cut 4x50cm lengths of non-stick baking paper.

Divide the tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, baby marrows, chickpeas and olives among the sheets of paper.

Sprinkle with the lemon rind. Season. Top with capers, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of oregano.

Fold the two long sides of each sheet over the filling to enclose. Tuck the short sides under to seal.

Place the parcels on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.

Divide the parcels among serving plates. Open and top with feta and another drizzle of olive oil.

BOOZY FRUIT PARCELS

Serves 4

3 peaches, cut into wedges

2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges

250g strawberries, washed

125g blueberries

45ml rum or orange liqueur

60g butter

80g castor sugar

30ml maple or golden syrup

Preheat oven to 180°C

In a bowl combine the peaches, apples, berries and liqueur.

In a small saucepan, boil together the butter, sugar and syrup until emulsified.

Tip the fruit into the sauce and stir to combine.

Lay a 50cm square of doubled foil on a work surface, spoon the fruit mixture into the centre.

Collect up the foil sides and seal all edges by folding.

Place in the oven on a flat roasting tray and cook for 20 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice-cream or cream.