Foil-Baked Fish with Black Beans and Corn

This past Friday night I was in a pinch for a quick meal and so I went scavenging my freezer to see what I could find.  This is when I came across these fish foil packets and my mouth immediately began watering.

The first time I made these they were SO GOOD.  And, since the recipe made 4 packets, I figured I'd freeze the other 2 for later.  Trust me, you want all of those packets of goodness since it freezes well and tastes great.  The texture didn't get all weird and the flavor was not at all subdued by the freezing process.  When I put the fish in my mouth the second time, it was just as wonderful as I remembered.

Spicy and zesty from the orange-chipotle compound butter, this fish is just bursting with flavor and is very moist.  The fact that it's contained in a foil packet makes clean-up a breeze.  It just may be one of my favorite fish preparations.  If you can't handle heat, I'd use fewer chipotle peppers.  Chris and I love spicy foods and even this was bordering too hot for us!

Don't forget to freeze some extra packets to grow your freezer stock!

One Year Ago: Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (or make it with chicken) - This is a staple for dinners and potlucks alike for me.  It's gobbled up in full every time.  I even made it on our recent vacation to Orlando.  Yes, I brought my crockpot with me on vacation.  Don't judge.

Foil-Baked Fish with Black Beans and Corn

Ingredients

• 4 skinless white fish fillets (6 to 8 oz each), 1-inch thick
• salt and pepper
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• 2 Tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat to 450 degrees.
2. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Using a fork, mix together the butter, 1 teaspoon chipotle, orange zest, half the garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a medium bowl until well-combined.  Spread butter mixture over the fish.
3. Combine the beans, corn, onion, scallions, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, orange juice, remaining chipotle, remaining garlic, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.
4. Lay four 14-inch lengths of foil on the counter and divide the bean mixture evenly over the lower half of each piece of foil.  Top with fish, and fold the foil over the fish, folding the edges to seal.
5. Arrange the packets in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the fish is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes*.  Carefully open the packets and sprinkle with remaining cilantro.  Serve.

Make ahead notes: If you are freezing the packets, follow all the steps through #4.  When you're ready to eat them, either thaw in the fridge overnight then cook as directed above or take the packets straight from the freezer and cook about 45 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes with a fork.  

Source: America's Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes as seen on Pink Parsley