Shrimp and Scallops En Papillote

The foil packets in process

I have been busy working in my garden (not that you can tell from the number of weeds), cooking, and at work.

Tonight we are having make your own foil packets (you can also do this with parchment paper but foil is easier for our 11 year old to work with)

It is a really easy dinner (It takes a lot of chopping but I usually can talk Steven into that!) I love this dinner because you control the fat and the salt and everything else that goes into dinner. We have a rule that if you make a packet that is just disgusting that you have to eat the packet--- it keeps everyone from making gross packets.

A little bit of advance prep makes the process of putting the packets together easier

The foil packets for shrimp take 15 minutes and the bay scallops take 10 minutes to cook in a 450 F/ 232C/ Gas Mark 8 oven. Make sure you tightly close the foil packets.

I chop up an assortment of herbs-- thyme, basil, parsley, lemon grass, chives, and society garlic (yes all from my garden--despite the heat which in Tulsa is oppressive)

Next I chopped up tomato, pepper and onion

For liquids (you should add some sort of liquid to the packet)-- white wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, butter, and vodka (I love vodka with shrimp)

The packets are ready for the oven

For spice-- red curry and my entire spice cabinet

Mix and match the ingredients in the packets and TIGHTLY close the packet throw it in the oven and that is all there is to it.

We allow each family member to make at least one packet.

We serve over rice- tonight it was saffron rice.

A finished shrimp packet

It is always good and it is always different. Everyone gets to be a master chef.... what's not to love?

And clean up is sooo easy.

A finished scallop packet.