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.
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
Preheat the oven to 230°C, set to Convection, rack position
B.
Put the oven tray in the oven to heat.
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.
Heat the oil in a small pan and cook the onions very gently, until
sweet and transparent. Add the cooked vegetables and turn until
shining.
Rinse the fish in cold water, pat dry and trim away any fins.
Fold the paper sheets into two to create double thickness pieces.
Butter the top layer of paper generously. Make two parcels of
ingredients, dividing the vegetables onto the two papers, then the
fish, then the herbs.
Thin sole fillets can be folded over to fit into a small parcel.
Season well with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the wine over and fold the papers into parcels, like
Cornish pasties, crimping the edges tightly together above
the
fish.
Staple if you feel the seams are not watertight. The parcels can be
kept this way for up to a day in the fridge.
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.