En Papillote Recipes

FISH EN PAPILLOTE, MEDITERRNANEAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Season the fish with kosher salt and pepper on both sides.
• Prepare the sauce. Place the olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, garlic and spices in a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and whisk to combine.
• Prepare 4 large pieces of parchment paper (about 12 inches or so on each side). Fold the parchment pieces down the middle to mark two halves.
• Assemble the pouches. Place each fish fillet on the bottom half of a parchment piece. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce over the fish. Add 1 lemon slice, 1 tomato slice, and 1 bell pepper slice on top.
• Fold the top half of the parchment paper over the fish and veggies and go around to fold and secure each piece of parchment around the fish and veggies creating a well-wrapped pouch.
• Place the fish pouches on a large baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack of your heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked and flakes easily.
• To serve, leave the fish and veggies in their own closed parchment pouches and transfer each pouch to a serving plate.

SALMON EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Fold two 16-by-24-inch pieces of parchment paper in half like a book. Using kitchen shears or a chef's knife, cut each into a large half-heart. When unfolded, a whole heart should appear.
• Use a chef's knife or mandoline to very thinly slice the fennel bulb. Cut the leek in half lengthwise, then place on your cutting board flat side down. Slice lengthwise into thin strips (this is called julienne). Very thinly slice the bell pepper lengthwise.
• To assemble the parchment paper packets, drizzle some olive oil on the bottom of each piece and rub it all over one side of each piece of parchment. Place the lemon slices to one side of the creased line down the middle of the parchment paper hearts. Top with the sliced fennel, leeks and bell pepper; season with a pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Drizzle the white wine over the veggies. Sprinkle the salmon with a good pinch of salt and few good grinds of pepper and top each with 1 tablespoon of butter. Then place on top of the veggies. To seal the packets, fold the other half of the heart over the fish. Starting at the pointy end or bottom of the heart, fold the edge of the parchment paper in small, overlapping triangles. This will help to create a tight seal and hold in all the steam. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the vegetables are tender and the fish is just cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss the fennel fronds, dill and parsley together in a small bowl until combined. Cut a slit in the top of each packet, then carefully open--there will be hot steam! Sprinkle with the fresh herb salad and serve.

HADDOCK EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place each fillet portion on a piece of heavy-duty foil or parchment (about 12 in. square). Drizzle fillets with wine; sprinkle with dill and lemon zest. Top with carrot, zucchini and almonds; dot with butter. Fold foil or parchment around fish, sealing tightly. , Place packets on a baking sheet. Bake until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.

EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Mix the seasonings (vinegar, juice, wine, zest, spices, etc.) together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Fold 4 (20-inch) parchment paper squares in 1/2 lengthwise and cut out a large heart shape. Unfold and arrange on 2 baking sheets. Cook's Note: Aluminum foil can be substituted for parchment paper.
• Evenly divide the vegetables among the 4 heart-shaped parchment packets. Place fish fillet on top of vegetables and season. Top with a small pat of butter.
• Fold the top half of the parchment over the fish, overlapping small folds along the edges and sealing. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the parchment paper puffs up.
• Transfer the parchment packets to plates. Carefully cut the packets open, avoiding the hot steam and serve.
• En Papillote Variations:
• Wild Mushrooms en Papillote: Replace the fish fillet with 1 pound mushrooms (equal parts chanterelles, morels, and shiitakes). Add fresh chives, fresh parsley, fresh tarragon, white wine, and increase the butter to 1 tablespoon.
• Spring Vegetables en Papillote: Replace the fish fillet with 4 cups vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, etc. Season the vegetables with thinly sliced garlic, fresh herbs, fresh lemon juice, zest, and salt and pepper.
• Mediterranean Halibut en Papillote: Top the halibut with pitted kalamata olives, sliced red onion, fresh parsley, fresh lemon juice, and fresh oregano. Add white wine for steaming.

FISH EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a bowl, mix together the onion, zucchini, carrot and garlic. Adds the oil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Put each fish fillet in a large square of parchment paper and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the vegetables on top, dividing evenly. Top the vegetables with 2 lemon slices, 2 sprigs thyme, a pat of butter and 1 tablespoon white wine, layering in order. Fold the parchment paper around the edges tightly in 1/4-inch folds to create a half moon shape. Make sure you press as you crimp and fold to seal the packets well, otherwise the steam will escape. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet. Bake until the fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. To serve, cut open the packets and serve directly in the parchment on a plate or remove the fish to the plate using a spatula, being sure you don't leave the juices behind.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small bowl, whisk mustard, vinegar, and a pinch each of sugar, salt, and pepper together. Continue to whisk while slowly drizzling olive oil in until completely combined.
• Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper into 16-by-18-inch pieces. Fold each sheet in half lengthwise, then open and place on a work surface. Divide asparagus evenly among the four pieces of parchment; place them on the left side of the fold near the crease, centered evenly between the top and bottom of the parchment paper. Place a chicken breast on top of each bed of asparagus. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Top chicken breasts with tomatoes, olives, artichokes, basil, and feta. Drizzle each with about 1 tablespoon more vinaigrette.
• Fold the right half of one parchment paper over contents and, starting with the top right corner, form a half-moon packet making small but tight pleats all the way around to seal completely. Repeat process to form remaining packets.
• Transfer the packets to rimmed baking sheets and cook for 25 to 28 minutes. To serve, place packets directly on each of four plates and use kitchen shears or a sharp knife tip to open packets at the table.

TROUT EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the carrots and celery in a pan with the oil, sugar, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, tightly cover, then cook for 10 mins until the vegetables are tender. Cool.
• Cut four large sheets of baking parchment, about 35cm square. Divide the vegetables between them and top each with a trout fillet. Scatter a few basil leaves and a little lemon juice over each, then season the fish with a little salt and pepper. Fold the paper in half and double fold all round to seal in the fish, a bit like a pasty.
• Put the parcels on two baking sheets and bake for 15-20 mins (depending on the thickness of the fish). Serve in their paper with some steamed new potatoes.