Fish en papillote
Cooking en papillote, which means ‘wrapped in paper’, feels like a bit of a forgotten technique these days. But it’s such a brilliant way to prepare fish – it’s healthy, simple and lets the fish steam in its own juices inside the parcel. You can use pretty much any fish for this recipe, but I’ve gone with red mullet, one of my favourites.
The trickiest part might be crimping the greaseproof paper, but the presentation is worth it. There’s something special about your guests unwrapping their parcels to enjoy the aroma of freshly cooked fish.
If you’re catering for vegetarians, just swap the fish for mushrooms and extra leeks, sautéed with a bit of crushed garlic and seasoning.
Overview
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
10 mins
Serves
4
Ingredients
4 fillets of red mullet weighing about 150-180g each, boned (sea bream or sea bass work just as well)
1 carrot, peeled, cut into 4cm lengths, thinly sliced, shredded or grated
1 leek, thinly sliced or shredded the same size as the carrot
2 tbsp chopped soft herbs (I used parsley, chervil and chives)
1 tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed oil
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas mark 6. Cut your baking parchment into a 30cm circle (one for each fish). Season the fish fillet on both sides and place in the centre of the paper.
Step 2
In a bowl, mix together 1 carrot, 1 leek and 2 tbsp of chopped herbs. Season and pour in 1 tbsp extra-virgin rapeseed oil, then arrange a quarter of the mixture in a pile on top of the fish. Bring the edges of the paper together, roll and crimp the edges all the way round to seal it. You may need to do the roll and crimping a couple of times for an extra seal. Repeat with the other three pieces of fish.
Step 3
Place on a baking tray and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven on to warmed serving plates and let your guests open the bag at the table. Serve with new potatoes and salad.
