Fish en Papillate

A fancy French name for a ridiculously easy fish dinner cooked in parchment paper. This is time to use up any vegetables laying around because the variations are endless. Quick to prepare and almost no time in the oven, dinner is on the table before you know it….

Recipe:

• Fillets of fish of your choice - I used cod.

• A generous handful of baby spinach ( kale, chard or bok choy works too)

• Small florets of broccoli (or asparagus, green beans or snap peas)

• Salt or spicy salt to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Zest of one lemon

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Lemon slices
  
  Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut parchment into large 16” long pieces.
  Mash together the butter, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and season.
  Place the vegetables on the lower half of the parchment paper leaving a 2 inch border.
  Lay the a piece of fish over the vegetables and smear with the butter mixture. Then season everything generously- I use Spicy Salt and black pepper. Place 3 lemon slices on the fish.
  Fold the top half of the paper over the fish and vegetables and fold up the edges tightly to form a package .
  Place package/a on a baking sheet and bake. 8-10 minutes for small, thinner pieces of fish, 12-14 minutes for thicker pieces.
  Fish parcels can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and then baked just before serving.
  
  Other combinations to try:
  • Replace broccoli with asparagus spears, cherry tomatoes and olives for a Mediterranean-style fish)
  • Add quartered canned artichokes to spinach.
  • Use thin slices of yellow summer squash and green zucchini with chopped basil
  • For an Asian-style fish - replace spinach with sliced bok choy and replace butter with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, sliced fresh ginger and sliced red chilies. Enjoy!