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Lemon and Dill White Fish Parcels with New Potatoes and Green Beans

White fish baked in parcels with lemon, dill, courgette and capers, so it steams in its own juices and stays moist. Par-boil the potatoes and beans first; the fish only needs 12 to 15 minutes in the oven.

Dinner

45

Serves 4

An opened baking paper parcel of white fish with lemon slices, dill and capers on courgette, with new potatoes and green beans

Ingredients

  • 4 skinless, boneless white fish fillets, such as cod, haddock or pollock (about 140g/5oz each)
  • 600g/1lb 5oz new potatoes (baby potatoes), halved if large
  • 300g/10½oz green beans, trimmed
  • 1 medium courgette (zucchini, about 200g/7oz), thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon: 2 tbsp juice (1 tbsp for the parcels, 1 tbsp for the potatoes), plus 4 thin slices
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil: 1 tbsp for the parcels, 1 tbsp for the potatoes
  • 10g/a loosely packed ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
  • 20g/2 tbsp capers, drained
  • 2 cloves garlic (about 8g), thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp salt for the potato water, plus half a tsp salt and black pepper for the fish
  • You will also need baking paper (parchment paper) or foil

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, 400F).
  2. Cut 4 sheets of baking paper or foil, each about 35cm/14in square. Divide the courgette between the centres, lay a fish fillet on top, and season with the half tsp salt and pepper.
  3. Top each fillet with a lemon slice, some garlic, capers and half the dill. Drizzle each with a quarter of the parcel oil and a quarter of the parcel lemon juice. Bring the edges of the paper together and fold or twist tightly to seal, leaving some space inside for steam.
  4. Put the potatoes in a pan of cold water with the 1 tsp salt, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until tender. Put the parcels in the oven when the potatoes start to simmer, and add the green beans to the potatoes for the last 3 minutes. Drain.
  5. Bake the parcels on a baking tray for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily when pressed with a fork. Thicker fillets need the longer time.
  6. While the fish bakes, toss the drained potatoes and beans with the remaining oil, the potato lemon juice and the remaining dill. Keep them covered so they stay warm.
  7. Open the parcels carefully (the steam is hot) and serve with the potatoes and beans, spooning the juices over the fish. Best eaten fresh; leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and should be reheated until piping hot.

Why it works

A serving has about 30g of protein for only 311 calories, including the potatoes and beans. White fish such as cod, haddock and pollock is one of the leanest protein sources there is, with less than 1g of fat per 100g.

Why parcels work. Sealing the fish in paper traps the steam from the lemon and courgette, so it cooks gently and stays moist with only a little oil. It is also very forgiving: the fish is hard to dry out, and there is almost no washing up.

Fish guidance. In the UK, the advice is at least two portions of fish a week, one of them oily. US guidelines suggest about 8oz (roughly 225g) of seafood a week for adults. White fish does not count as oily fish, so pair this with an oily fish meal such as the salmon traybake or the trout with almonds. Cod, haddock and pollock are all low in mercury.

Keep the potato skins on. New potatoes cooked in their skins keep more of their fibre. Capers add a salty, sharp flavour, so the dish needs only a little extra salt.

Not tagged for blood sugar, because the potatoes bring about 26g of carbohydrate a serving; swap half the potatoes for extra green beans if that matters to you. For another light fish dinner, see the sea bass with salsa verde.