when i was in arizona in december i went to the grocery store with my mom at least once every two days, which is pretty usual for me in new york, but not as usual when you have a large trunk and only have to walk the grocery bags from the garage to the kitchen. call me crazy, but i happen to love walking the generously sized aisles of suburban grocery stores. i actually take my time, and walk down every aisle. its the perfect opportunity to discover new things... new things like the PaperChef's culinary parchment cooking bags.
i've always loved the idea of cooking with parchment paper. in theory the idea is wonderful, protein and vegetables perfectly steamed in a lovely little package, but in my experience something always goes awry and i end up with an unfolded mess of uncooked fish, vegetables, and cooking juices. granted that all could be user error and fixed with a little bit of practice, but it doesn't hurt to speed up the process and have a little help via parchment cooking bags.
something about this recipe intrigued me and i couldn't wait to try it. aside from the fact that i finally got to use my new parchment cooking bags, i love the variety of the ingredients. the thinly sliced red potatoes give it some starch, the perfectly steamed salmon adds protein, the fennel and carrots give it a refreshingly earthy feel, and the olives round out the dish completely with a really nice salty texture. i added a bit of lemon juice for some acidity, but other than that one small addition, this dish came together perfectly. and i finally achieved the a-ha moment of cutting open the parchment to unveil an aromatic plume of steam and a beautifully plated dish. which was a very exciting culinary feat.
Salmon Papillotes with Fennel, Potatoes, and Olives
Gourmet, makes 4 servings
1 small fennel bulb, stalks discarded
2 medium carrots (1/2 lb)
1/2 lb small red potatoes
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, slivered
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more for garnish
1 (1 1/2-lb) piece center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 square pieces
Special equipment: a mandoline or other manual slicer, 4 parchment bags or 4 (15-inch) squares parchment paper and kitchen string.
Place a large baking sheet on bottom rack of oven and remove any other racks. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Halve fennel bulb lengthwise. Remove most of core, leaving enough intact to keep layers together when sliced. Using manual slicer, cut fennel bulb (lengthwise), carrots (diagonally), and potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Blanch vegetables, separately, in salted boiling water: fennel 2 minutes, carrots 1 minutes, potatoes 2 minutes. Transfer fennel and carrots with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water, then drain well. Drain potatoes. (This can also be done ahead of time then combined with ingredients below right before serving.)
Toss fennel and carrots with olives, lemon zest, thyme, half of garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss potatoes with remaining oil and garlic, add salt and pepper to taste. Divide potato mixture among centers of parchment squares. Season salmon with salt and pepper and place on top of potatoes, then top salmon with fennel mixture. Gather sides of parchment up over fennel mixture to form a pouch, leaving no openings, and tie tightly with string. Place packages directly on hot baking sheet in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note: Foil can also be substituted for parchment. Crimp edges tightly to close; do not tie.
i've always loved the idea of cooking with parchment paper. in theory the idea is wonderful, protein and vegetables perfectly steamed in a lovely little package, but in my experience something always goes awry and i end up with an unfolded mess of uncooked fish, vegetables, and cooking juices. granted that all could be user error and fixed with a little bit of practice, but it doesn't hurt to speed up the process and have a little help via parchment cooking bags.
something about this recipe intrigued me and i couldn't wait to try it. aside from the fact that i finally got to use my new parchment cooking bags, i love the variety of the ingredients. the thinly sliced red potatoes give it some starch, the perfectly steamed salmon adds protein, the fennel and carrots give it a refreshingly earthy feel, and the olives round out the dish completely with a really nice salty texture. i added a bit of lemon juice for some acidity, but other than that one small addition, this dish came together perfectly. and i finally achieved the a-ha moment of cutting open the parchment to unveil an aromatic plume of steam and a beautifully plated dish. which was a very exciting culinary feat.
Salmon Papillotes with Fennel, Potatoes, and Olives
Gourmet, makes 4 servings
1 small fennel bulb, stalks discarded
2 medium carrots (1/2 lb)
1/2 lb small red potatoes
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, slivered
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more for garnish
1 (1 1/2-lb) piece center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 square pieces
Special equipment: a mandoline or other manual slicer, 4 parchment bags or 4 (15-inch) squares parchment paper and kitchen string.
Place a large baking sheet on bottom rack of oven and remove any other racks. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Halve fennel bulb lengthwise. Remove most of core, leaving enough intact to keep layers together when sliced. Using manual slicer, cut fennel bulb (lengthwise), carrots (diagonally), and potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Blanch vegetables, separately, in salted boiling water: fennel 2 minutes, carrots 1 minutes, potatoes 2 minutes. Transfer fennel and carrots with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water, then drain well. Drain potatoes. (This can also be done ahead of time then combined with ingredients below right before serving.)
Toss fennel and carrots with olives, lemon zest, thyme, half of garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss potatoes with remaining oil and garlic, add salt and pepper to taste. Divide potato mixture among centers of parchment squares. Season salmon with salt and pepper and place on top of potatoes, then top salmon with fennel mixture. Gather sides of parchment up over fennel mixture to form a pouch, leaving no openings, and tie tightly with string. Place packages directly on hot baking sheet in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note: Foil can also be substituted for parchment. Crimp edges tightly to close; do not tie.
This looks very appetizing, can't wait to try it out.
ReplyDeleteI knew you would cook something wonderful with those bags!
ReplyDeleteHow funny - cooking en papillote totally reminds me of my stepmom, who introduced me to it. It's like having a little present come out of the oven. And I don't think you're at all crazy for appreciating the luxury of wide aisles.
ReplyDeleteAh looks great. When I was in Provence they served this meal, and real similarly--salty olives with lemon and fennel and fish. I remember thinking at the time that I have GOT to make this when I get back. Thanks for the reminder and recipe!
ReplyDeletePicked this style up in Paris...where my hostess pre-sauteed the ingredients...something I recommend because it ups the flavor from something merely steamed.
ReplyDeleteMade this dish last night and wow! what a beautiful and delicious dinner it was! I will definitely keep this one for future use. Thank you!! Look forward to more inspiration on your great blog...
ReplyDelete