Memorial Day weekend is well-known for delicious cookouts. And while many families will be grilling up the usual hotdogs and burgers, others may be looking for something a little different. Throw a foil pack on the grill this year, and marvel at the no-mess meal you just created!
Simply put, a foil pack is food placed in aluminum foil and cooked by way of grilling, baking in an oven, or roasting over a campfire. It's generally a single serving of more than one type of food. The beauty of the foil pack is threefold: its individual portions are excellent when cooking for just one or two persons; combining foods into one vessel and using just one type of cooking method makes for quick preparation and cook time; there's virtually no clean-up since food is neatly packed in foil and simply placed on the grill grate.
To prepare a foil pack, pull out a long sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil (if not using heavy-duty foil, pull out an extra-long standard foil sheet and fold in half.) Place ingredients in the center and pull over one side to line up with the opposite side, and fold over edges. Then, fold the remaining two edges. Don't seal the packet too tightly because it needs room for the steam to expand.
Wondering what to put in a foil pack? Forgo the skewers and place chicken and kabob veggies together. Seafood, such as shrimp and scallops, are excellent foil packers and pair well with cherry tomatoes and ears of sweet corn. Beef fajitas can be made in a foil pack…there are so many options to try!
Garlic Salmon and Asparagus
6 oz. salmon
7 asparagus spears
½ Tablespoon margarine
1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Heat grill to medium heat. Cut a sheet of aluminum foil large enough for asparagus and salmon to fit. Arrange asparagus spears on foil and place salmon on top. Mix remaining ingredients into a paste. Smear paste onto the top of the salmon. Cut another large piece of foil to cover everything and fold up the sides. Grill 6-8 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with fork. Carefully open foil packet, serve.
Yield: 1 serving
Nutritional Analysis per Serving: 440 calories, 28 grams fat, 110 grams cholesterol, 240 milligrams sodium, 6 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 41 grams protein