Fragrant Hoegaarden fish parcels

SERVES 2

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

1 handful baby spinach leaves

3 French shallots, peeled and finely sliced

1 lemongrass stem, white part only, halved lengthways and smashed into pieces with the back of a knife blade

4 lemon slices

2 blue eye cod fillets, 180–225 g (6–8 oz) each, without skin

½ carrot, finely julienned

¼ red capsicum (pepper), finely julienned

8 green beans, topped and tailed, then halved lengthways

4 cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

12 fresh basil leaves

olive oil, for drizzling

330 ml (11¼ fl oz) bottle of Belgian wit ale

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5).

Take two sheets of foil about 40 cm (16 inches) long and lay them shiny side down on the work surface next to each other. Tear off two more sheets and place these on top of the first ones, again shiny side down. These will become your parcels, and obviously you are making two – one for you and one for your sweetheart.

Using your fingers, smear the butter over the middle section of each of the foil sheets, making it longer than it is wide and roughly duplicating the size of the fish fillets. Now layer the rest of the ingredients over the butter, dividing them equally between the two parcels. The order is: spinach, shallot, lemongrass, lemon slices, fish, carrot, capsicum, beans, tomato, coriander, basil, a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and finally about 2–3 tablespoons of the beer over each stack.

Now make the foil parcels by taking the two long sides and bringing them up and over the fish so they meet, then folding them over each other several times to seal all the way along. Then fold over the two shorter ends to seal, folding and wrapping them over until they are snug against the ingredients inside. The parcels should be of a similar shape to the fish and tightly sealed.

Place the parcels on a baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes. Check the fish after 15 minutes by carefully unwrapping a middle section of the parcel and poking the fish with a fork – if it flakes easily, it is done. Obviously the cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fillets, so be careful not to overcook the fish or it will become tough.

Serve each parcel on a plate, allowing the diner to open the parcel and eat directly out of it to enjoy the aromas, the fish and vegetables – and of course the broth!

Beer Notes

I use the Belgian wit (‘white ale’) in this dish because it is brewed with coriander (cilantro) and orange peel, which works well here; it is also a wheat beer, which adds a softness to the sauce that is created during baking. Hoegaarden Witbier is the grand champion of this style and is perfect for this dish. Australian versions include Feral White, Holgate White Ale, 3 Ravens White Witbier and Bright Brewery Razor Witbier