Cod en Papillote (Parchment Paper) with Fresh Vegetables and Lemon

Have you ever cooked fish in parchment paper?  If not, it is one of the simplest and healthiest ways to prepare fish.  The technique is called "en papillote" which translates to in parchment.  The pouch holds in moisture to steam the food...in this case fish. The moisture could be a number of things: water, wine, stock or broth. In this recipe I use white wine and the juice from the lemon slices.  I made this for the girls the other  night during our second "Cooking with Rachel" class and they loved it!  I used a variety of vegetables I had on hand, but you can basically use any veggies you like. See a list of suggestions below.

Ingredients:


-Parchment paper (or foil)
-6-8 ounces of white fish per person (I used Cod)
-1 lemon, thinly sliced
-1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
-2-3 Tbsp white wine per fish packet
-1/2 Tbsp butter or olive oil per fish packet (optional)
-fresh sprigs of thyme
-1 yellow squash, sliced into sticks
-2-3 carrots, sliced into sticks
-cooking spray
-salt and pepper to taste


First cut your veggies to be about the same size, that way they will cook evenly.  Thinly slice your onion and lemon. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Next, rip off a piece of parchment paper about 12-18 inches long.  To help keep it from rolling up, place salt and pepper shakers or something else small on each corner.  Spray half of the parchment paper with non stick spray.  Arrange the carrots, yellow squash and onion in a pile on the half that is sprayed.

Next, place 1 fish fillet on top of the veggies.  Place a few lemon wedges, pad of butter..about 1/2 Tbsp (or drizzle of olive oil) and a sprig of thyme.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Lastly, pour about 2-3 Tbsp. white wine over the top of the fish and veggies.

To create the sealed packet, fold the other half of parchment paper over the fish.  Starting with one corner and working your way to the other, make small folds to crinkle the paper.  This should make a half-moon shaped sealed packet.  Below are some nice illustrations from WholeLiving
                 

Repeat the above steps to make a parchment packet for each person you are serving.  Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or depending on the thickness of your fish.  You can always pull one out and open the packet to make sure the fish is no longer clear in the middle.  It should be white (opaque) and flaky. 

You can serve each packet on a plate with any other sides.  It's a fun little surprise to open their meal at the table.  Want some other ideas for fish or veggies to use?  See my list below.

Let your imagination run wild with options!

Seafood to use: 

• Halibut
• Salmon
• Cod
• Orange Roughy
• Sea Bass
• Shrimp
• Scallops

Veggies and Other Ingredients to Use: 

• Mushrooms
• Asparagus
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Olives
• Capers
• Bell Peppers
• Red Onion
• Snap Peas
• Zucchini

Liquid to Use:

• White Wine
• Vegetable Stock/Broth
• Chicken Stock/Broth
• Soy Sauce
• Orange Juice
• Lemon Juice
• Lime Juice
• Coconut Milk