Fish is one of the best things that you can put in your body. Chock full of nutrients and all of the good stuff, eating it a few times of week can do wonders for your body. (Note: I’m not a health expert but I’ve read up on it and all signs point to “eat fish regularly.”) From roasting to grilling, there are so many ways to prepare fish to your liking. Each method adds so many flavor dimensions to a fish dish. My favorite way to serve juice, flavorful fish is by baking fish in parchment paper. How does one do that? I’ll teach you.
How To Bake Fish Using Parchment Paper
Baking Fish en Papillote (aka in Parchment) is the perfect way to seal in all of the juices while adding aromatics to the dish.
Step 1: Buy good fish
To have a great tasting dish, you must start with great tasting ingredients. If you start with good fish, you’re off to a great start. Easy enough, right?
Step 2: Preheat the oven
Usually, when baking fish in parchment paper, you’ll want to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 3: Place into parchment paper pocket
Tear off a sheet of parchment paper and lie the fish flat onto the paper. Use only one piece of fish per sheet of parchment paper.
Step 4: Season to your preference
Feel free to top the fish with lemon slices, sprigs of thyme, or pieces of zucchini. You’ll also want to sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Feel free to add flavor combinations that sound good to you. The possibilities are endless.
Step 5: Close the packet
Fold one end of the parchment paper over the fish to create a little pocket. Crimp the edges together to seal in the fish and other ingredients.
Step 6: Bake the fish
Place the parchment paper packets onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake the fish for 15 minutes or until the fish is flaky and opaque in color. Since the fish is sealed in the packet, simple use this rule of thumb: Bake 15 minutes for every one inch of thickness of the fish. The packets might puff up or brown. My thoughts on that? Awesome. This will give the presentation a rustic look which I love.
Step 7: Serve the packets
There’s no need to remove the fish from the parchment paper. Transfer the packets to a serving dish and allow your dinner guests to remove the fish from the packets.
What’s your favorite way to cook fish?
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