Parchment Wrapped Fish Recipes

FISH EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, add the Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, garlic, parsley, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Zest the lemon right into the bowl (reserve the whole lemon). With a fork, mash the butter with canola oil to smoothly combine all of the ingredients. Cut the whole lemon into thin slices (you will need 8 slices total for the recipe).
• Assemble the Packets: Tear off 4 squares of parchment that are at least 12 inches on each side. Lay the sheet flat on a work surface. Place 1 cup of salad greens in the center of a sheet, leaving space at the top and bottom. On top of the greens, place 1 fish fillet so that it runs vertically top to bottom. Lightly sprinkle the fish with salt. With the back of a small spoon, spread one-quarter of the butter mixture on top of the fish. Lay 2 slices of lemon on top of the butter mixture and scatter 6 tomato halves around the fish.
• Fold the Parchment Packets: Lift the right and left sides of the paper up and towards the center, directly above the fish. Touch the two sides together and tightly roll them, folding as you go, until you reach the fish. Now, roll and crimp the top and bottom ends, rolling them towards the counter, away from the center of the fish. When you reach the end, tuck the end underneath the fish. Place the packet on a rimmed baking sheet, using the weight of the fish to hold the ends in place (you don't want the packet to come unsealed as it bakes). Repeat with remaining three packets. Reserve any remaining lemon slices for serving.
• Place in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is fully cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Serve warm with reserved lemon slices and additional fresh parsley as desired.

HERB-ROASTED FISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Place the fish fillet on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle it with the salt and pepper. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the top of the fillet. Lay the thyme on top and place the olives next to the fillet.
• Beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of water for an egg wash. Brush the egg wash around the edge of the parchment paper and fold it in half. Carefully fold the edge of the parchment paper under and around the fish to make a package. Place the package on a sheet pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Serve hot in the parchment paper.

HOW TO COOK: FISH IN PARCHMENT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place each fish fillet in the center of a 13-inch square of parchment paper. Season fish with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.
• Arrange citrus slices down the length of each fillet, sprinkle with herbs and scatter additional ingredients, if using, over the top.
• Lift the parchment paper on 2 opposite sides to meet in the middle above fish. Tightly fold down paper until it reaches fish, crimping to seal.
• Roll up and crimp the ends to seal. (Be sure the paper is sealed snugly so that steam won't escape during cooking. Secure folds with toothpicks, if you like.)
• Place the packets on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until fish is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes for thin fillets like tilapia, and 14 to 16 minutes for thicker fillets like halibut and cod.
• Transfer packets to plates, carefully unwrap and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S SALMON IN PARCHMENT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Take two pieces of parchment paper, fold in half, and cut a half-circle starting at each crease. They should look similar to a heart-shape when unfolded. Coat each piece of parchment with olive oil on both sides.
• Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.
• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add asparagus, and cook uncovered until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the asparagus is cold, drain well, and set aside.
• Place 1 salmon fillet, half the asparagus, and half the potatoes in the middle of one side of a prepared parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Fold other half of circle over and seal parchment edge by making overlapping folds around the edge. At the end, fold the last crease in the opposite direction of the rest to ensure it seals. Repeat with the second piece of prepared parchment and remaining ingredients. Place pouches on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before cutting open parchment. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

PARCHMENT WRAPPED FISH

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 475 degrees F.
• Cut cooking parchment paper into 6 rectangles measuring 10 by 20 inches each.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly brush one side of each sheet with the butter or oil, or coat with non-stick spray.
• Then fold each rectangle in half to form a square with the greased sides facing each other.
• Set aside.
• If using fresh corn, cut the kernels from the cobs and measure out 1 cup.
• Add the corn (or 1 cup cooked frozen or canned corn) to a large bowl along with the carrots, onions, sweet peppers, fresh chiles and cilantro.
• Open the greased parchment paper and sprinkle half the vegetable mixture, dividing evenly, over one half of each of the parchment rectangles.
• Leave at least a 2 inch border between the vegetable and the edges of the paper.
• Rinse the fish under cold running water and dry with paper towels.
• Place a piece of fish on top of the vegetables on each of the 6 pieces of parchment.
• In a small bowl, mix together the tequila and the lime juice.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the tequila mixture over each piece of fish.
• Drizzle each piece of fish with about 1 1/2 tsp.
• of the melted butter and season with salt and the ground ancho or other chile powder.
• Place a slice of lime on each pice of fish, and scatter the remaining vegetables evenly over each of the 6 pieces.
• Refold the parchment paper in half over the fish and vegetable mixture and seal the packets securely by making a series of tight, overlapping folds (about 1 inch folded over) along the edges of each side to form a square.
• Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake until the packets puff up, about 10 minuts.
• Transfer the packets to warm plates, garnish with cilatro leaves, and serve immediately, allowing each to open his or her own packet.
• It is a good idea to have the entire remainder of the meal ready so the packets can go directly from the oven to the table and the meal can begin.
• Be awre that with this cooking method you are unable to test the fisih to see if it is donw.
• You have to rely on judging the cooking time based on minutes per inch of thickness.
• Note that soft-fleshed fish does not work well with this recipe because it cooks too soon.

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.

FISH & VEGETABLE PACKETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. In a small bowl, combine carrots, snow peas and green onions. Cut parchment paper or heavy-duty foil into four 18x12-in. pieces; place a fish fillet off center on each. Drizzle with lemon juice and top with carrot mixture. Sprinkle with seasonings; dot with butter., Fold parchment paper over fish. Bring edges of paper together on all sides and crimp to seal, forming packets. Place on baking sheets., Bake 10-15 minutes or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork. Open packets carefully to allow steam to escape.

FILLET OF FISH IN PARCHMENT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°.
• Oil lightly the center of your Silpat mat set on a baking sheet, or, if you don't have the mat, oil a piece of foil. Scatter the potato slices over the oiled area, then turn them. Salt and pepper lightly. Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, turning once.
• Meanwhile, cut off an 18-inch piece of parchment paper, and fold it in half. Open it up, and on one half place the fish alongside the folded edge, after salting and peppering it on both sides (see illustrations on preceding page and opposite). Pile the zucchini, carrot, scallion, and ginger on top of the fish, salt again lightly, and splash on enough wine to bathe the fillet(s) lightly. After the potato slices have had their 10-minute pre-roasting, arrange them on top or around the edge of the fish and sprinkle the herbs over all. Fold the other half of the parchment over, then fold in the open edge twice, and pleat it all around to make a semicircular airtight package. If it tends to open up where the folded edges meet, secure that place with a binder clip or a large paper clip. Place on the sheet pan, and bake for 12 minutes. If you have a fairly thick fillet, you may need to bake it 1 or 2 minutes more. Test with a skewer; if it goes in easily, the fish is done. Plunk the whole parchment package on a big dinner plate, and enjoy.
• Second Round
• You can make a delicious salad with the remaining fish. Arrange a bed of watercress or young arugula leaves on a salad plate, and set the fish on top. Spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons of Sauce Gribiche over it (see page 160), or, if you don't have that handy, use about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise thinned and tarted up with a little plain yogurt or lemon juice and seasoned with a small, finely chopped cornichon (or part of a dill pickle) and 1/2 teaspoon capers. Garnish with some strips of roasted red pepper-your own (see page 242) or from a jar-a few black olives, and some cherry tomatoes. Or try the Fish Salad recipe on page 157. These are just suggestions. Use your imagination, based on what you may have on hand.