Cooking in aluminum foil is a slick campfire trick: Fold and crimp foil shut, place the packet over hot coals (or into a hot oven), and a few minutes later you're serving up lean cuisine.

Like parchment, foil speeds up cooking by conducting heat directly to the food. Fish is a great choice for foil cooking for two reasons: First, the natural moisture of the fillet requires a scant amount of added fat for flavor and, second, the technique allows dinner to steam to perfection in its own natural juices.

The key to The Star's Soy-Sesame Fish and Vegetable Packets is to place 1 cup of vegetables - your choice of a single vegetable or a combination of sugar snap peas, asparagus pieces and zucchini strips - in each package.

You will also want to select fish fillets that are similar in thickness so they cook evenly. Thinner cuts may be used, but the cooking time may need to be shortened slightly, so be sure to cut the vegetables into smaller pieces. On the other hand, slightly thicker fish fillets, and slightly larger pieces of vegetables may be cooked by adding 1 to 2 minutes to the cooking time.

Clean up is a snap: Toss the foil and you're done.

Cooking tips: To toast sesame seeds, spread them in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake at 350 degrees 3 to 4 minutes or just until golden.

To grill packets, preheat grill or allow coals to burn down to medium-hot. Arrange sealed packets on grate, cover grill, and grill 10 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily and vegetables are crisp-tender.

SOY-SESAME FISH AND VEGETABLE PACKETS

1 1/3 cups trimmed sugar snap peas or snow peas

1 1/3 cups asparagus pieces (cut into 1-inch pieces)

1 1/3 cups julienne-cut zucchini (about 1- by 1/4-inches)

4 fish fillets, about 4 ounces each and cut about 1/2-to 3/4-inch thick, such as salmon, rainbow trout, tilapia or striped bass

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

4 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 4 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, about 12- by 18-inches each, on the counter top. Spray each with nonstick cooking spray.

Evenly divide vegetables and place in the center of each aluminum foil sheet. Place fish atop vegetables.

Combine garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk to combine, then spoon 1/4 of soy mixture evenly over each piece of fish. Sprinkle top of each with 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds.

Bring up the sides of the foil. Double-fold the top and ends to seal the packets tightly, leaving room for heat circulation and steam inside. Place sealed packets in a single layer on a large, 12- by 18-inch baking sheet. Bake 17 minutes; remove from oven and allow to stand, un-opened, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully open packets, using caution as steam will be hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 207 calories (30 percent from fat), 7 g total fat (1 g saturated), 67 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates.