Here's a no-brainer recipe. All you need is an oven (or turbo broiler or anything that can bake for at least 250degrees), some herbs, and Finding Nemo's Dory...and your all set!
I used a local herb called alagau. I grew up in Bataan eating another local dish called Talibubu (I'll make that some day, and I'll post it here, too), and this herb was its main ingredient. My mom would make me go to the neighbor (with a nasty askal) and ask for young leaves ("talbos"), which was really the only part you'd need--use the matured leaves and the dish turns out a bit bitter. To read more about this herb, click HERE. And since I particularly liked the taste of alagau in Talibubu, I thought of experimenting on it on a different dish.
Nuff said. Let's start cookin'!
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First, you will need the following ingredients: fresh cream dory fillets (buy this at your local wet market and ask that they filleted it for you, or you could always run to your supermarket and get the frozen ones...just make sure you thaw it first before cooking [duh]), onion rings (your choice of either local red or white), chopped garlic cloves, thinly-sliced ripe tomatoes, finely-chopped young alagaw leaves, finely-chopped basil, olive oil, sesame oil, chili powder (optional), and freshly-ground salt and pepper.
For the dipping sauce: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or calamansi.
And make sure you have these non-food items: oven, Pam spray can, aluminum foil, metal wire plate, baking spatula, and a whole lot of presence of mind--you'll need it later!
(Remember to pre-heat the oven to 250degrees while you're doing this, OK?) Cut some aluminum foil (careful not to cut yourself, you little baby!) big enough to wrap two to three medium-to-large fish fillets. Spray the matte side of the foil with Pam spray, and drizzle with some olive oil. Spread all over the foil with the spatula till it's covered all over. Think sunblock on someone else's back...that's the idea! ;-) Put the fish side by side.
Drizzle the fillets with more olive oil, and some sesame oil. Layer it with the onion rings, garlic, alagau leaves, basil, tomatoes, and the optional chili powder or flakes. You know how to design a home-made pizza? That's the general idea. Season with enough salt, and pepper. Wrap the fillets in the foil and make sure it's sealed enough to prevent it from bursting or leaking.
With the pre-heated oven (You did pre-heat it, didn't you? Tsk!) ready, carefully set the wrapped fillets on those nifty metal wire plates so it's right smack in the middle of the oven or broiler. Set the oven to 250degrees or higher for 30 minutes. Let it cook and go do your other chores so you're more useful in the house!
When you hear your oven's "TING!", then it's time to open up the foil wrap. Careful now, careful now...you don't want your perky porcelain skin burnt, do you? Poke the fish with a salad fork and check whether it's already good for you...otherwise, bake it some more, this time with the foil already unsealed.
Serve on a plate with its dipping sauce on the side. How to make the sauce? Just combine all the ingredients and mix till it's already good for your discriminating taste buds.
Enjoy!
