Steamed Salmon en Papillote
Speed - 96%
Simplicity - 94%
Tastiness - 99%
96%
Great!
I have to admit this was more of a challenge to put together, but the end result was so fantastic! This Steamed Salmon en Papillote was a real show-stopper.
Ingredients
- 4 6oz Salmon Filets, skinless
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup Fresh Baby Spinach
- 1 cup Leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
- 2 tablespoons Capers, drained and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons Parsley, finely choped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare parchment paper by cutting 12x18 inch squares. Fold down the middle crosswise, then open and lay flat.
- Divide baby spinach among the four papers on one side, topping with a salmon filet.
- Dot the butter on top of the salmon and bed of spinach.
- Top with leeks, carrots, parsley, and sprinkle parsley and lemon juice over.
- Fold over the parchment paper and fold the open edges together to create a pleated seam all the way around.
- Place packets on a baking sheet and bake 12-13 minutes or until the parchment has puffed up and salmon is cooked through.
- Serve immediately on a plate and trim one edge open.
Fish en papillote is a cool and very old-school traditional French way of preparing fish. Essentially, an envelope is created using parchment paper and baked, and the steam which collects gently cooks the fish and added vegetables. It is a lovely and unique way to serve a fish, and makes for a fun presentation when you have guests. In the traditional French opinion it makes a perfect meal on its own, but I like to add a light rice pilaf on the side for a more filling dinner.
Don't be discouraged by the delicate nature of folding the papillote. I remember one of my first professional cooking gigs involved folding 500 of these for a catering job! I felt like I started to master it at number 498. So it's fine for them to be rustic and not perfect; the thing that matters most is that you fold the edges to seal them well, and then of course that your company enjoys the meal!
Prepare parchment paper by cutting four 12×18 inch squares. Any of baking paper will do, just make sure it is parchment or baking paper and not wax paper. Fold the pieces down the middle crosswise, then open and lay flat. Place on a clean surface or counter to assemble the rest.
Divide the baby spinach among the four papers on one side of the folds, then place a salmon filet on each bed of spinach. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and a crack or two of fresh black pepper. Divide the butter by eye on top of the salmon and bed of spinach.
For the leeks and carrots, I wrote to ‘thinly slice' them, but the traditional knife skill called for here would be the ‘julienne'. This is achieved by chopping thin planks of each vegetable, then lining the planks up and slicing thin matchsticks from each. This allows the vegetables to not only cook quickly but appear as a beautiful and delicate garnish. Top each salmon filet off with these lovely leeks and carrots, forming a little bundle. Sprinkle parsley, chopped capers, and lemon juice over as evenly as possible.
Fold the parchment paper over the fish and veggies, and close the ‘envelope' by folding the open edges together to create a pleated seam all the way around. This may take a little practice, but what you are looking for is a relatively airtight seam, so take one portion aside to practice it if you need to before you tackle the rest, and feel free to gently move the salmon around to better position it. Try to make the folded pleat as narrow as possible, so there is enough space in the packet for steam to collect and for the food to properly cook.
Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes, or until the parchment has puffed up and salmon is just cooked through (check just one to be sure).
Serve immediately on plates and using kitchen shears, trim one edge to open.
Ingredients
- 4 6oz Salmon Filets, skinless
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup Fresh Baby Spinach
- 1 cup Leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
- 2 tablespoons Capers, drained and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons Parsley, finely choped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare parchment paper by cutting 12x18 inch squares. Fold down the middle crosswise, then open and lay flat.
- Divide baby spinach among the four papers on one side, topping with a salmon filet.
- Dot the butter on top of the salmon and bed of spinach.
- Top with leeks, carrots, parsley, and sprinkle parsley and lemon juice over.
- Fold over the parchment paper and fold the open edges together to create a pleated seam all the way around.
- Place packets on a baking sheet and bake 12-13 minutes or until the parchment has puffed up and salmon is cooked through.
- Serve immediately on a plate and trim one edge open.
Quick Beef Shawarma Recipe
Leave a Reply