Sohla El-Waylly's Fish En Papillote

Recipes & Cooking

ingredients

Fish En Papillote

  • 1/4 Tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt Plus more to taste
  • 1 6 oz cod fillet
  • 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes Halved
  • 1 Small Fennel Bulb Halved, cored, and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 Small Yellow Onion Thinly sliced
  • 1 Small Garlic Clove Thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp Drained Capers
  • 5 Castelvetrano Olives Crushed, torn, and pitted
  • 2 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter Cubed
  • 1/4 Cup Sake or White Wine

To Serve

  • Torn Parsley
  • Lemon Wedges

Special Equipment

  • Mortar and Pestle
  • Sheet Pan Fitted with a Wire Rack
  • Parchment Paper
  • Foil

prep

INSTRUCTIONS:



 



Dry-brine the cod: Combine paprika with salt. Pat the cod fillet dry, then rub all over with the paprika salt and set on a sheet pan fitted with a rack. Let the cod sit with the seasoning in the fridge for at least 15 and up to 45 minutes. Do not rinse. 



 



Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). 



 



Meanwhile, prep the veggies: In a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes, fennel, onion, garlic, capers, olives, and olive oil. Season with salt to taste, tossing to evenly coat. 



 



Make the papillote: Lay one 13 x 18-inch sheet of parchment paper on top of a sheet of foil and fold the paper in half. Unfold and toward the middle, right next to the crease, place the tomato mixture. Rest the cod and cubes of butter on top. 



 



Fold the parchment and foil over and crimp two sides of the packet closed. Before sealing the final side, pour in the sake. Seal the final side and make sure the edges of foil and parchment are tightly crimped shut all around. (If making ahead, you can store the prepped papillote in the fridge for up to 12 hours.) 



 



Cook the papillote: Place on a sheet pan and bake until the fish feels tender when you pierce it through the packet with a cake tester, 18 to 22 minutes. 



 



Let rest for at least 5 and up to 15 minutes, then carefully unwrap one side of the parchment pouch and slide the contents into a bowl. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges and serve immediately. 


This packet method is called en papillote. When I became a chef, I'd put something en papillote on every menu I could. They were filled with anything from tournéed vegetables and blood sauce to pistachio cake with poached pears, each one hand-stitched closed with red and white twine, then torn open tableside. I guess somewhere along the way I lost the point; cooking in a packet should be fun and easy. Everything steams together, with all the flavors and juices locked inside. This method works with any combo of ingredients that'll cook in about the same time and doesn't need direct heat for rendering fat or browning. I like it best with lean fish and tender vegetables; avoid stuff like bacon or steak. Adding a flavorful liquid, like wine, sake, or bone broth to the packet creates the steam that cooks everything through and becomes the sauce. Because there isn't any browning, be sure to turn up the flavor with salt, fat, acid, and spices. This recipe is for one, so feel free to multiply the recipe to make a packet for every diner. (But don't make a jumbo packet, that won't cook through evenly.) Or don't follow the recipe at all and make it your own.

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