In the culinary arts, the term en papillote refers to a moist-heat cooking method where the food is enclosed in a packet of parchment paper or foil – and then cooked in the oven. Seriously though- cooking anything in a pouch will create a delicious infused meal. In this case, the white fish and veggies stays so juicy and moist. They are all benefitting while being bathed in olive oil, and citrus lusciousness.
All in 30 minutes or less!
Ingredients:
2-4 medium Yukon potatos, sliced into very thin rounds about 1/16th-inch thick
10-12 Asian pea pods, cleaned
1 bulb fresh fennel cleaned and sliced thin
2 green scallions, cleaned cut in halve. Vertical .
4 -6 Tablespoons good quality olive oil, divided
Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 white fish filets, about 6 ounces each
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 Meyer lemon, zested and juiced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
1 bunch of fresh chives for garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 400’F.
Cut a 2 / 12-14 inch long sheets of kitchen parchment. Fold each piece in 1/2 and make a crease. Open back up revealing crease. Spray with your favorite non-stick cooking spray. Set aside on a high sided baking sheet.
Slice the potato, fennel very thin, about 1/16th of an inch. Add half the potato slices in the center of the parchment working only on one side of the crease ( as the parchment will be folded over later) fan the vegetables in a circle slightly overlapping the previous vegetables in a pattern. Potatoes, fennel then pea pods. Making sure to distribute the vegetables evenly among the pieces of parchment.
Gently drizzle the potatoes, fennel and pea pods with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Repeat this process with other sheet of parchment, and the remaining potato, fennel and pea pods
Top each portion of vegetables with 1 filet. Top each filet with a scallion.
Evenly drizzle each filet with about 1-2 more Tablespoons of good quality olive oil and again season with salt and pepper.
Zest the citrus, and set aside.
Cut the orange and lemon in 1/2 and squeeze half the juice of the lemon over one filet, and half the juice over the other filet. Repeat with the additional citrus. Discard remaining rines. Add additional citrus slices to packet if you wish for a more intense citrus flavor.
Top each with a sprig of fresh thyme. Fold foil over at crease and begin sealing packets, by crimping parchment in one inch increments drawing to a close in a 1/2 moon shape. Make sure to tightly crimp from one end to the other – consistently folding each seam so the olive oil and citrus juices will not leak out.
Carefully place high sided baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and carefully open one packet by crimping back the ending of the crimps. Do not tear open just in case you need additional steam time.
Check for doneness of both packets and and if necessary, return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until done.
Remove from oven and place the whole packet on a serving dish and top cut open with scissors- pulling cut parchment back to reveal the meal-in-the-pouch. Garnish with remaining citrus zest, chopped parsley and chives.
Serves two – want more just make more pouches.
Yum!
Chefs Notes:
Before serving, tie pouch ends with butchers twine for a more rustic look.
Top off with a little white wine in each pouch before cooking, for additional flavor.
Chef Gigi Gaggero 