Fish En Papillote

Fish en Papillote

When I'm looking for meal ideas, I usually require they hit a few of these categories: easy, inexpensive, healthy and fast (with bonus points added for  using the least amount of dishes as humanly possible). This recipe is a big win because it fits all five of these criteria. Being from Florida, I'm a huge seafood fan and living in northern Italy, where seafood is EVERYWHERE, has only grown my love for cooking fish.

This dish probably takes a total of 20 minutes form start to finish and its super easy to make for one person or a large crowd. It's become my go-to meal for when D's on the road and I need to cook for just one. 

Besides being ridiculously easy and yummy, this recipe has a very chic French name that makes it sound much fancier than it really is. So you can invite someone over for dinner and tell them you're making "Fish en Papillotte" which really just translates to "fish cooked in paper". I usually use Salmon for this dish but lately I've been sending D to our favorite local fisherman's shop to pick up the groceries and he came back with some mysterious (and amazing) white fish that worked out just fine as well. 

Fish en Papillote

Ingredients:

• 2 Fish fillets of your choice (one per person)
• 2 Zucchinis, sliced (one per person)
• Half a red onion, sliced thin
• A handful of fresh basil, chopped 
• A couple handfuls of Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• One lemon, sliced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled
• Olive Oil
• Dried Rosemary & Thyme or Herbs de Provence
• Pesto (store bought or homemade), find my favorite recipe here: Arugula & Toasted Walnut Pesto (OPTIONAL) 
• Parchment Paper

Directions:

• Take a large piece of parchment paper and fold it in half. Channel your inner Kindergarten-self on Valentine's Day and cut a half heart shape into the paper. Repeat for however many servings you're making.
  
  
  

  

  Pathetic attempt at a heart.. I know.

• Toss your zucchini, red onion, basil and tomatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and some dried thyme & rosemary (or Herbs de Provence)
  
• Unfold your parchment papers (noting how awful your heart shape looks), and divide your vegetable mixture evenly onto each sheet. Add a couple garlic cloves to each portion.
  
• Top the vegetable mixture with a few slices of lemon
• Season your fish fillets with salt, freshly ground pepper and the dried herbs & place on top of your lemon slices
   
  
• Top with pesto (optional) or a drizzle of olive oil or white wine if you'd rather
  
• Fold the other half of your heart piece on top of the fish and seal the sides making small, overlapping folds until the entire side is closed up (Click Here for a much clearer instruction of these steps) *it's important each pouch is sealed well so the fish will steam properly
   
   
   
  
   
• Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish  
•  

  

  I love to serve it left on half of the parchment paper

  

  Yummy!

Recipe Notes: If you don't like zucchini, asparagus works really well with this dish! I love doing a Mediterranean style en Papillote with asparagus, capers, olives, tomatoes & feta :) There are tons of different combinations that will work with this same technique. 

Please give this easy recipe a go and I promise it'll become a part of your dinner (or lunch) rotation! 

XOXO