Pescado empapelado – fish baked in foil with tomato, chilli and epazote
Fish fillets baked in foil parcels with butter, tomato, onion, jalapeño strips and epazote, cooking in their own juices. Simple Lenten fare in Mexico, served with white rice – everyone opens their own parcel at the table.
- 50 minTime
- 30 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- ≈ $30per portion
- 520kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 700 gTilapia fillet, 4 fillets
- to tasteSalt
- to tasteBlack pepper
- 1Lime
- 3Tomatoes
- ½Yellow onion
- 2Jalapeño peppers
- 2 clovesGarlic
- 4 sprigsEpazote
- 3 tbspButter
On the side
- 250 gRice, long-grain
- 1 tbspRapeseed oil
- ½Yellow onion, in one piece
- 1 cloveGarlic, for the rice
- ≈ 500 mlWater
Method
- Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water and drain well.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the rice with the piece of onion and the garlic for 4 minutes without letting it colour. Pour in the water, add salt and bring to the boil.
- Cover and cook the rice over a low heat for 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200 °C. Slice the tomatoes and onion, cut the chillies into strips and slice the garlic thinly.
- Lay each fillet on a large sheet of foil, season with salt and pepper and squeeze over a little lime. Top with the tomato, onion, chilli, garlic, epazote leaves and small knobs of butter, then fold the parcels up tightly.
- Put the parcels on a baking tray and bake for 18 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
- Put a parcel on each plate to be opened at the table, and serve the rice alongside.
The cost is estimated from average prices in Mexico (PROFECO, Quién es Quién en los Precios (datos abiertos), 2026-07).
