This recipe for cod en papillote is a great way to cook fish. Translated, it means fish in a bag. Parchment is used to hold the fish and a little liquid and the bag creates and holds steam to cook the contents. This recipe is for Cod but any fish can be used. This way of cooking really works well with simple flavours and unelaborated vegetables – no complicated sauces. To make a Chinese flavour, add soy sauce and thinly shredded spring onions, add white wine and tarragon to go French, tomatoes, and oregano make it Italian or try lemon and cinnamon for Greek.
Preparation time: 10 minutes + chilling
Cooking Time: none
Serves: 2 people
Energy: 145 calories per serving
Equipment:
Sharp knife
Mixing/serving bowl
Ingredients:
2 x cod fillets or loins each approx 250g
6 lemon slices
2 teaspoons light olive oil
2 leeks
3-4 tablespoons dry white wine
Chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 220°
Cut 2 large hearts from parchment paper. Each fillet must easily fit on one half of the heart with margin for crimping.
Clean and strip the outer leaves from the leek. Thinly slice.
Place the leeks on the paper then add a fillet.
Season the fish then lay 3 lemon slices across the top.
Mix together the wine, olive oil and parsley.
Fold the paper over and crimp some of the edges together then split the wine/oil mix between the two fillets.
Finish sealing the parcel by crimping together all the paper edges. Make sure you create a tight seal.
Place both parcels on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.
The paper should be all puffed up and slightly brown.
Remove from the oven and serve.
The idea is to add the entire packet to the plate then cut it open when ready to eat.