Salmon en Parchment
"En parchment" is simply a fancy term for cooking in paper. Assembling these salmon packets literally takes minutes. Just pop them in the oven and before you know it, another great "MPM Dinner in a Flash" is on the table. A nice garden salad along with couscous, wild rice or quinoa would make lovely accompaniments.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Parchment paper
- 1/2 lime
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 1 orange bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 1 yellow pepper cut into thin strips
- 1/4 pound asparagus trimmed and sliced
- 1/4 pound thin string beans like haricot vert
- 1 small leek (white and light green parts only), halved, tough outer portion removed and sliced thinly
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh parsley sprigs
- 4 lemon slices
- 4 lime slices
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay 4 additional sheets of parchment paper (approximately 15- inches x 18- inches each) on the counter.
- Lay one salmon fillet on each sheet of the parchment paper. Squeeze juice from lemon and lime halves over each.
- Arrange peppers, asparagus, string beans and leeks on top of and around each fillet.
- Top with basil leaves and parsley sprigs as well as lemon and lime slices.
- Carefully fold the short ends of each sheet of parchment paper towards the center. Repeat with the long ends, securing by tucking ends under the packet.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until done.
- With a large spatula, gently transfer each packet to a serving plate. Carefully cut open the middle of each packet, allowing steam to escape.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: packets may be assembled the night before ; refrigerate until baking time.
To test for doneness, carefully snip open one packet and probe gently with a fork. If fish flakes easily and is opaque, it is cooked through. Look for parchment paper in grocery and specialty food stores where aluminum foil is located.
Cooking in parchment works extremely well with any mild fish such as tilapia, snapper or mahi mahi as well as shrimp, scallops and chicken.
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