I've always wanted to make something in a banana leaf, but I wanted something easy to start with. I thought if I started with easy, it would build my confidence and then I can go to more complex type foods. This is a great recipe if you have never cooked with banana leaves. You don't have to create a container or do any type of special folding or wrapping. The roasted pepper sauce is absolutely divine. When you serve it like in the picture with a side of cilantro lime rice....OMG!
Ingredients:
1 bag of banana leaves cut into 5 or 6 inch squares
8 tilapia fillets (approx. 6oz each)
4 small limes
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
1 green onion (chopped)
Sliced lemons or limes
Red Pepper Sauce:
1 12oz jar roasted peppers (drained)
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large stock pot about half way with water and bring to a boil.
Season each tilapia fillet with salt and pepper and juice of half a lime; set a side. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
When water comes to a boil, blanche a banana leaf in the boiling water for approximately 30 seconds. If the banana leaves are frozen, blanche for at least 1 minute. Remove from the boiling water and lay out on a flat surface. Place one of the tilapia fillets in the center. Fold each corner like you are wrapping a gift. Flip the wrapped fish over so that the seam side is down. Place the parcel on the greased baking sheet. Continue with the other banana leaves and tilapia fillets. Once all the fillets have been wrapped and placed on the baking sheet, bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
For the red pepper sauce, place the red peppers, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Puree adding the olive oil is a slow stream until well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Remove the wrapped fillets from the oven and allow to sit for approximately 5 minutes. Cut slits across the top of each parcel separating the banana leaves. Spoon the red pepper sauce and garnish with the green onions and sliced lemons or limes.
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