Is there anything more tantalizing to the palate than a deliciously cooked plate of food, served hot?
Why, yes, there is: and it’s a deliciously cooked parcel of fare unraveled from its wrapping of parchment paper from whence it came, laden with all the aromatics, herbaceousness and jus that naturally comes with cooking en papillote (“in parchment”).
This cooking method is always a winner — it just feels fancy! — but summer is a particularly great time for cooking fish en papillote, with tender veggies flooding the markets. Though it requires few ingredients, so much can be done, and it always marries flavors with a practically effortless technique in which the parchment paper does all of the work.
If you’re someone who spends your summer meals at the grill, you can recreate any of the following en papillote recipes in a packet of aluminum foil and toss it straight onto the grates. (Safety note: Parchment will catch fire on a grill, so don’t use parchment when grilling. Only use parchment if you’re baking in an oven. If you’re using this cooking method for grilling, only use aluminum foil to make your packet.)
All you have to do is come with some interesting combinations — and you don’t even have to do that. Here’s my list for you:
- Lemon Butter Halibut with Cherry Tomatoes and Asparagus
Colorful, vegetable-forward and bright, this combination features Pacific Halibut With Lemon & Herb Butter from the Marinated & Seasoned collection, one of my new favorite offerings. Arrange a fillet of halibut with the prepared lemon & herb butter atop of a handful of asparagus, throw in a few cherry tomatoes, then seal things up until fragrant and delicious. Here’s more details on how to cook it.
- Cod with Ginger, Cilantro, and Green Beans and a Splash of Soy
At once bright and umami, this one dials up the flavor with the minced or finely sliced ginger and soy (or tamari) pairing, and keeps the meal clean and veggie-centric with the addition of green beans. This recipe for Cod With Spinach, Garlic, and Lemon has a similar approach of clean simplicity, but with a different set of ingredients.
- Coho Salmon with Corn, White Wine, a Pad of Butter and a Spoonful of Pesto
Here’s one that comes across with full-throttle flavor. Store-bought pesto does just fine, especially alongside a glug of white wine and that rich buttery element. And if corn were a song, it would be the anthem of summer! If you’re inclined to make pesto from scratch, try this recipe for a Pacific Halibut and Zucchini Grill Packet With Spinach-Basil Pesto.
- Lingcod with Olive Oil, Fennel, Lemon Zest and Dill
I have increasingly learned to love dill more and more over the years, and paired with fennel — a taste experience unto itself — this combo really makes the lingcod (or any fish, to be honest) sing. If you have a medley of herbs on hand, try this recipe for a Simple Lemon-Herb Fish Grill Packet — it features dill, parsley, and chives.
- Sockeye with Butter, Leeks, White Wine and Dill
Here’s another one that always wins. Thinly sliced leeks add that lovely allium element, and the rest of the ingredients are just classics when it comes to making a delicious seafood meal. For a richer flavor profile that satisfies on cooler evenings, try this recipe for Creamy, Garlicky White Fish en Papillote.
I think you get the point here — cooking en papillote is essentially a modular technique. You can switch up and swap ingredients depending on cravings, dietary needs or whatever you happen to have in your kitchen, and the result will almost always be a moist, flavor-rich, fancy-feeling meal that you can make over and over again.
Here’s to staying inspired, being creative and cooking effortlessly!
Live Wild!
Monica
Pictured above: A flaky fillet of Pacific halibut adorned with a generous swipe of pesto in a just-opened porch of foil, hot off a summer grill — a vibrant and easy dish to feature at any summer feast.
