Cooking Fish in Parchment Paper
Simple But Elegant Fish Course Ideas For Valentine’s Day
OK guys, here’s a simple but elegant fish dish you can prepare that will really impress your mate. Easy to do, dramatic presentation, and you get to cut out heart shapes!
That’s right. You heard me. Heart shapes. Figure you only have to do this once a year. Next time you make this could be for Superbowl Sunday and you could cut out football shapes.
What Is Fish en Papillote?
Fish en papillote, or fish in parchment, is a classic French cooking technique in which fish is steamed within a parchment paper parcel, often with vegetables, herbs, and a splash of wine or lemon juice. This method traps moisture and flavor, producing a delicate, aromatic dish highlighting the fish’s natural taste and accompanying ingredients.
The process begins with selecting fresh fish fillets, such as salmon, cod, halibut, or snapper, known for their tenderness and ability to absorb flavors well. The fish is placed on a large piece of parchment paper, which is then folded into a half-heart shape, creating an attractive and practical steam-tight seal.
One of the joys of fish en papillote is its versatility. You can add a variety of vegetables like julienned carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, and thinly sliced onions or leeks. These not only add flavor and texture but also contribute to the visual appeal of the dish. Fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, thyme, or tarragon, along with a few slices of lemon or lime, enhance the aromatic profile. A splash of white wine, broth, or a dab of butter adds moisture, ensuring the fish remains succulent as it steams.
Once all ingredients are arranged, the parchment is carefully folded and crimped around the edges to seal the package completely. The parcels are then baked in a preheated oven, typically at 400°F (200°C), for about 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. The steam within the parchment cooks the fish evenly, infusing it with the flavors of the added ingredients.
When served, the parchment is cut open at the table, releasing a burst of fragrant steam. This dramatic presentation excites the senses and keeps the fish hot and perfectly cooked until it is enjoyed. Fish en papillote is a healthy, flavorful, and visually striking dish that exemplifies the elegance of simple yet sophisticated French cuisine.
Fish en Papillote or Fish in Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 12 inch parchment paper squares
- olive oil or olive oil spray
- 2 fillets white fish such as sole or snapper
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 ounces dry white wine
- 2 lemon slices
- zest of one lemon
- 1 tablespoon butter optional
- 2 sprigs dill or about ½ teaspoon dried dill
- 18 spears thin asparagus
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Fold each square of parchment in half and cut out a heart shape. You have all done this before"”in school when you made Valentine cards.
- Open each heart and brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil or spray with olive oil spray.
- Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Wash asparagus and break off the woody ends. Just bend them; they will naturally break where they should. Discard the ends. Lightly spray olive oil on the asparagus and toss with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper and the lemon zest.
- Divide the asparagus in half. Put half of the asparagus on each of the hearts, just to one side of the center of each heart.
- Put one piece of fish on top of each bundle of asparagus.
- Top with one sprig of dill (or half of the dried dill), a slice of lemon and either ½ of the butter or a light drizzle of olive oil.
- Splash half the wine on top of each piece of fish.
- To wrap up these packets: fold the top of the heart over the fish and asparagus. At the top end of the heart, away from the point, fold up both edges (top and bottom) and crease well.
- Move down about ½ inch and fold up the edges, overlapping your first fold. Continue folding and creasing all around the parchment heart until you get to the point.
- Fold and crease the point twice. You now have successfully wrapped your fish en papillote.
- Place the packets side by side on a baking sheet, making sure the packets aren't touching.
- Bake in the center of the oven until the packets are well puffed and the fish is cooked, about 10-12 minutes.
- To serve, put a packet on your sweetheart's plate, place in front of her, and with a dramatic flourish and a "watch out for the steam," carefully slice the packet open with a sharp knife. You watch out, too: the steam will be very hot.
4 Responses
I am a Chinese girl, I saw your website. Do you know the vegetable parchment paper? I want to buy the vegetable parchment paper, but I don’t know the vegetable parchment paper company website. Can you tell me that? thanks very much ~ waiting for your reply.
Hi Maggie, if you do a search for vegetable parchment paper on any of the search engines, you will come up with many good brands. Here’s one I found on Amazon.com for Vegetable Parchment Paper.
Can the fish in parchment be put together in advance? Would be great to assemble then put in fridge for an hour or so before cooking.
Hi Linda, I don’t see why not. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out. – RG
Thank you , I’ll have to subscribe your feed and read the rest I think. The first date my wife and I had nearly 20 years ago now was a lovely seafood restaurant in Napoli, so I’ve been spending ages trying to find a decent grilled lobster recipes like we had that night – our anniversary is next month so I’m hoping to surprise her!
Thanks for sharing Alissa – RG
The picture at the beginning of the recipe does not reflect the ingredients in the recipe….it should at least look as described….
You are absolutely correct Sandy and I’m getting better at photographing my dishes but sometimes the photos don’t come out as well as I hoped so I find an alternative at a stock library. That’s what happened in this case. I’ll make this dish again and try to do better. – RG