Foil Baked Tilapia with Jalapeno and Olives

I love the beer battered deep fried fish served at the Fish Fry in our parish but once in a while on a Lenten Friday, I just want a simple but delicious fish dish.  I could choose baked fish at the Fish Fry but they are swimming in butter. I wanted something light and healthy.

This recipe uses no butter, oil or wine at all.  The foil bake method seals the juice from the tomato that keeps the tilapia moist and tender.  It is packed with flavor using readily available ingredients like olives, jalapeno, green onions and spices like garlic and cumin. If you are not into spicy food, you can decrease the amount of the jalapeno in the recipe or just delete it completely or serve it on the side. You can also adjust the salt after the dish is baked.

You can serve this with baked potato, rice or pasta or just a plain piece of baguette to soak the broth. You will love this rustic and delicious dish not just on Lenten Fridays but any day you want something easy to prepare that is light and refreshingly good to eat.

Foil Baked Tilapia with Jalapeno and Olives

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 16 whole olives
• 1 large whole tomato, chopped and divided
• 8 jalapeno slices from a jar
• 2 stalks green onions, sliced into 1 inch pieces and divided
• 1 tbsp dry minced garlic, divided

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut two aluminum pieces measuring around 12 inches long.

Place two fillets in the middle of one piece of aluminum foil.

Combine the cumin, salt and pepper.

Rub the two fillets with half of the cumin, salt and black pepper mixture.

Stack the two fillets on top of each other and place 8 olives, 4 jalapeno slices, half of the tomato pieces, half of the green onions and half of the garlic on top of the two fillets.

Overlap and fold the ends of the aluminum piece and then seal the two sides.

Repeat the same procedure with the other two fillets.

You will end up with two aluminum packets.

Place the two packets in a pan and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.