It's in the Bag! Package Cooking Basics

Cooking your dinner in a parchment paper or foil bag is a simple, fast, and convenient method. Using this method you can create the ultimate fast food without the fat and calories. You can create an entire meal in one package and also keep your proteins tender because of the steam created inside the sealed pockets. Here are some basic techniques and tips to help you become a package master.

First of all make sure that your squares of parchment or foil are large enough to contain the amount of food you have prepared. I prefer using foil because it's inexpensive and easier to seal into an airtight package. First spray the foil with non-stick spry oil. Place your ingredients directly in the center of the foil, fold the edges up to create a square, fold them together and seal with a crimp. Make sure they're sealed tightly so steam doesn't escape. Remember that the veggies will cook down so make sure you add enough for a full serving.

Layering your ingredients makes for a nice presentation when you open up the packet. For example, place thin slices of potato, a serving of halibut, chopped tomatoes and fresh herbs, and drizzle with EV olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of lemon, and salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for twenty five minutes. While it cooks the seasonings will penetrate throughout the dish to flavor and create a light sauce.

You should make sure that your vegetables, potatoes, etc., are sliced uniformly and in small enough pieces so that they will finish cooking at the same time as the protein. Seafood generally cooks fairly quickly, especially shrimp and scallops. For a delicious Cajun shrimp dish mix together in a bowl 4-5 cloves of minced garlic, one cup of diced sweet onion, one diced red bell pepper, three or four sliced scallions, one green and one yellow zucchini cut into small cubes, a pound of shelled shrimp, two diced and fully cooked spicy lean turkey sausages, Cajun seasoning, a dash of hot sauce, the juice of a lemon and a tablespoon of EV olive oil. Seal into individual packets, and cook at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.