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recipes

Fish En Papillote

Meaning fish in a parcel, this dish adds a touch of drama to the meal when brought to the table and unwrapped, releasing herby aromas when you are hungry and receptive.
Fish En Papillote

Prep Time 10 mins

Cooking Time 35 mins

Serves 2

Meaning fish in a parcel, this dish adds a touch of drama to the meal when brought to the table and
unwrapped, releasing herby aromas when you are hungry and receptive.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • 1 leek, cut into thin strips
  • 1 large courgette or daikon
  • (large white radish) cut thin strips
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 small onions, finely sliced
  • 360g (12oz) of fish: smallish fillets of seabass, cod, or lemon sole or whole small fish: red mullet, trout, gutted, scaled
  • large knob of soft butter
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • 4 sprigs tarragon
  • 8 tbsp white wine
  • salt and pepper


You will need two large sheets of greaseproof paper or baking parchment and a stapler, or two small roasting bags

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 230°C, set to Convection, rack position B.
  2. Put the oven tray in the oven to heat.
  3. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the carrot, leek and courgette lightly - they should taste cooked, but crisp. Drain and dry.
  4. Heat the oil in a small pan and cook the onions very gently, until sweet and transparent.
  5. Add the cooked vegetables and turn until shining.
  6. Rinse the fish in cold water, pat dry and trim away any fins.
  7. Fold the paper sheets into two to create double thickness pieces. Butter the top layer of paper generously.
  8. Make two parcels of ingredients, dividing the vegetables onto the two papers, then the fish, then the herbs.
  9. Thin sole fillets can be folded over to fit into a small parcel. Season well with salt and pepper.
  10. Sprinkle the wine over and fold the papers into parcels, like Cornish pasties, crimping the edges tightly together above the fish.
  11. Staple if you feel the seams are not watertight. The parcels can be kept this way for up to a day in the fridge.
  12. Put the fish into the heated oven tray and cook for about 30 minutes. Open the bags at the table, spooning the buttery juices over the fish.


Note on timings: Add 5 minutes to the cooking time if the parcels have been stored in the fridge.

The timing in this recipe is based on two 180g (6oz) fish steaks, started from fridge cold ingredients. Smaller, thinner fillets can be cooked for less time, but never less than 10 minutes.

If the recipe is made straight through, and fish placed on warm vegetables, it will take less time to cook. If in doubt, use roasting bags. You can see the fish cook to doneness, and the liquid bubbling in the parcels which puff up when the fish is cooked.