Fish en Papillote with Fennel and Lemon

Name: Fish en Papillote with Fennel and Lemon
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 4 (5–6 oz each) thick white fish fillets, skinless, 150–170 g each: cod, hake, haddock or pollock, 2.5 cm thick; 1 fennel bulb, about 250 g, very thinly sliced, fronds reserved; 1 lemon, half thinly sliced, half juiced; 8 cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 tbsp olive oil; 4 tbsp dry white wine, 60 ml; or fish or vegetable stock; 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, in 4 pieces; 6 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, plus a pinch for the fennel; freshly ground black pepper; 4 sprigs thyme or dill

A sealed paper parcel that steams fish in its own fragrant juices

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 40 min
Level: Easy

Fish baked in a folded parchment parcel cooks in a gentle cloud of its own steam, flavored by whatever you seal in with it. Here thin fennel, lemon, a splash of white wine and a little butter make a light sauce that is waiting in the paper when you tear it open at the table.

Ingredients

4thick white fish fillets, skinless (5–6 oz each)150–170 g each: cod, hake, haddock or pollock, 2.5 cm thick
1fennel bulbabout 250 g, very thinly sliced, fronds reserved
1lemonhalf thinly sliced, half juiced
8cherry tomatoeshalved
1 tbspolive oil
4 tbspdry white wine60 ml; or fish or vegetable stock
30 gunsalted butter (2 tbsp)in 4 pieces
6 gfine sea salt (1 tsp)plus a pinch for the fennel
freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigsthyme or dill

Diet: Gluten-free, Pescatarian
Allergens: fish, milk, sulphites
Origin: France
Season: Spring, Summer

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with a sheet pan inside to preheat. Cut four 40 cm (16 in) squares of parchment paper.
Toss the fennel with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Divide it between the parchment squares, piling it just off-center.
Season the fish all over with the salt and some pepper. Lay a fillet on each fennel pile. Top with lemon slices, tomatoes, a herb sprig and a piece of butter.
Fold the paper over the fish. Spoon 1 tbsp wine and a squeeze of lemon juice into each parcel through the open edge.
Seal: starting at one corner, make small overlapping folds along the open edges, creasing each one hard, to make a half-moon. Twist the last fold tightly underneath.
Slide the parcels onto the hot sheet pan. Bake until puffed and the fish reaches 55°C (131°F) in the center, 12–15 minutes for 2.5 cm fillets. (Poke the thermometer through the paper; the fish should flake when pressed.) 14 min
Rest 2 minutes, then serve the parcels on plates for everyone to tear open. Scatter over the fennel fronds. 2 min

Why it works

The sealed parcel traps steam at just under 100°C, which cooks the fish more gently and evenly than dry oven heat and keeps every drop of juice inside. The fennel underneath lifts the fish off the hot pan and softens in the escaping liquid, while the butter, wine and fish juices combine into a light sauce. A preheated pan jump-starts the steam so thin fillets don't sit in a cold, slow parcel.

Common mistakes

Loose folds let steam escape and the fish dries out. Crease every fold firmly.
Fennel sliced too thick stays crunchy. Slice it no thicker than a coin, ideally with a mandoline.
Thin tail pieces overcook; tuck the thin end under to even out thickness.

Variations

Asian-style parcels: Swap fennel, wine and butter for sliced scallions, ginger matchsticks, 1 tsp soy sauce and ½ tsp sesame oil per parcel.
Salmon: Use salmon fillets and pull at 50°C (122°F), about 10–12 minutes.

Make ahead and storage

Assemble the parcels up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate on a tray (the sheet pan goes into the oven to preheat); add 2 minutes to the baking time.

Notes

Foil works if you have no parchment, though the parcel won't puff as dramatically. Substitute the wine with fish or vegetable stock for an alcohol-free version (then drop sulphites; stock adds celery).