Parched Fish
Mar. 4th, 2026 09:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madbakerThis week's Resolution Recipe: Salmon en Papillote with Cabbage.
"en papillote is Fronch for "in paper". However fancy this sounds, the technique is actually quite simple."
1 lemon, halved lengthwise
3 cups shredded cabbage
4 8-oz salmon fillets, skin removed
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp capers, drainedand roughly chopped
3 scallions, sliced on a bias
warm white rice, to serve
Heat oven to 400°. Slice one lemon half into thin, bite-size triangles. Discard seeds. Juice the other lemon half and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On half of the sheet, spread out cabbage to form an even bed. Arrange salmon on top, leaving at least a 1/2" gap between fillets. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and soy sauce over the fish and cabbage. Scatter capers, lemon slices, and scallions overtop.
Fold the parchment over the salmon, lining up the edges to form a pouch. Starting at one corner, cinch the seam shut by crimping edges together with tightly overlapping folds. The package should be airtight so juices don't escape. Bake for 12-15 minutes until aromatic and the fish flakes easily when prodded.
Bring the parcel to the table and open it before your guests. Spoon cooking juices over fish and cabbage; serve with rice.
What worked: Easy, tasty, slightly showy. Steaming is healthy but there was no lack of flavor. A half batch was a good amount for the two of us. The capers were wee and didn't need chopping.
What didn't: I cooked the fish for 15 minutes, which was a bit long (especially since I did not put lemon slices on top). I erred on the low end of cabbage (because there is almost always too much) and it kind of disappeared.
Will I make it again? It will probably be an option for salmon. It would work with whitefish too, I think, although something lean like cod might need a bit more fat/flavor. Maybe whisk some miso paste into the soy sauce?
"en papillote is Fronch for "in paper". However fancy this sounds, the technique is actually quite simple."
1 lemon, halved lengthwise
3 cups shredded cabbage
4 8-oz salmon fillets, skin removed
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp capers, drained
3 scallions, sliced on a bias
warm white rice, to serve
Heat oven to 400°. Slice one lemon half into thin, bite-size triangles. Discard seeds. Juice the other lemon half and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On half of the sheet, spread out cabbage to form an even bed. Arrange salmon on top, leaving at least a 1/2" gap between fillets. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and soy sauce over the fish and cabbage. Scatter capers, lemon slices, and scallions overtop.
Fold the parchment over the salmon, lining up the edges to form a pouch. Starting at one corner, cinch the seam shut by crimping edges together with tightly overlapping folds. The package should be airtight so juices don't escape. Bake for 12-15 minutes until aromatic and the fish flakes easily when prodded.
Bring the parcel to the table and open it before your guests. Spoon cooking juices over fish and cabbage; serve with rice.
What worked: Easy, tasty, slightly showy. Steaming is healthy but there was no lack of flavor. A half batch was a good amount for the two of us. The capers were wee and didn't need chopping.
What didn't: I cooked the fish for 15 minutes, which was a bit long (especially since I did not put lemon slices on top). I erred on the low end of cabbage (because there is almost always too much) and it kind of disappeared.
Will I make it again? It will probably be an option for salmon. It would work with whitefish too, I think, although something lean like cod might need a bit more fat/flavor. Maybe whisk some miso paste into the soy sauce?
