In Tales of Arise, Kisara loves all things fish, from the sport and patience of fishing to cooking and enjoying the dishes she creates from her catches. One of her favorite dishes pays homage to the many Menancian farms dotting the landscape around the capital of Viscint: Leaf-Wrapped Fish.
Though this dish can be made with fish caught in the waterways of Elde Menancia, the people of Viscint enjoy it best when prepared with sea bream, imported from Thistlym in Ganath Haros. The fillets are wrapped in bundles of locally grown lettuce and flavored with more of Menancia’s farm-fresh vegetables.
When grilled, the aromatic flavors of the lettuce, vegetables, and herbs infuse the fish, keeping it moist and creating a flavorful meal. Simple yet satisfying, it’s easy to see why this is a favorite of Kisara’s and a popular dinner throughout Viscint.
To bring this dish to life, we’ll stay fairly true to the Menancian recipe. I used snapper fillets rather than sea bream, but any skin-on white fish fillets will work. The fish is simply seasoned with salt and black pepper, then arranged in lettuce-leaf packets with onion, bell peppers, dill, and lemon. I used some aluminum foil as reinforcement to help the lettuce maintain its shape around the fish filet. A dollop of garlic-herb butter goes on top before the packets are grilled until the lettuce is lightly charred and the fish is cooked through.
The result is an easy, flavorful meal that’s perfect for a slightly elevated weeknight dinner. I’d gladly enjoy it as an afternoon or evening meal during a holiday visit to Viscint.
Ingredients
4 snapper fillets, skin on (or any other preferred skin on white fish fillets)
4-8 romaine or green leaf lettuce leaves
1 onion, sliced
1 small yellow bell pepper, sliced in rings
1 small red bell pepper, sliced in rings
8-12 fresh dill sprigs
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil
1 lemon, sliced in rounds
1 lemon, cut in wedges
Garlic Lemon Compound Butter
¼ cup butter, softened
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of one lemon
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
First, we will make the compound butter that we will use to flavor the fish. This should be made ahead of time so it has time to chill. Combine the softened butter, grated garlic, lemon zest, and parsley in a bowl. Mix until evenly incorporated.
Once fully mixed, spoon the compound butter onto a sheet of flat plastic wrap. Use a spatula to press the butter into a rough line near the bottom edge of the wrap. Lift the edge of the plastic wrap over the butter and roll it forward to completely enclose the mixture. Hold the extra paper on both sides and twist them tightly like a candy wrapper to squeeze the butter into an even cylinder. Place the rolled butter log in the refrigerator until it becomes firm and holds its shape.
Once you are ready to make the dish, preheat a grill to 425°F. Season the snapper filets generously either salt and black pepper.
Lightly brush both sides of the lettuce leaves with olive oil. Select larger, sturdier leaves for the packets, if possible.
For each packet, place a large piece of aluminum foil on the work surface and arrange two lettuce leaves in the center, overlapping them to create a sturdy base.
Layer the packet with onion slices, a few lemon rounds, and 2-3 sprigs of dill. Place a snapper fillet on top, skin-side up.
Arrange several red and yellow bell pepper rings over the fish. Squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge over the fish and vegetables. Place a one tablespoon slice the of garlic-lemon compound butter on top of the fillet. Repeat this process to build all four of the lettuce packets.
Fold the lettuce around the fish without tightly sealing the top.
Gently bring the foil up around the sides of the packet to form a shallow foil cradle. Do not completely wrap the packet in foil. The foil is there to support and shape the lettuce while allowing the exposed tips of the lettuce to grill.
Place the foil cradles directly on the grill with the fish remaining skin-side up. Grill at 425°F for approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Place the foil cradles directly on the grill with the fish remaining skin-side up. Grill at 425°F for approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
The lettuce should wilt and conform around the fish, while the exposed portions develop some browning and char. The compound butter should melt over the fish and mingle with the lemon, dill, onion, and peppers.
Begin checking the fish around 10 minutes. Cook until the thickest part reaches approximately 140°F.
Carefully remove the foil cradles from the grill. Serve the fish in its browned lettuce wrapper with the grilled onions and peppers. Enjoy!