En papillote is French for “enveloped in paper”, or al cartoccio in Italian, is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. This method is most often used to cook fish or vegetables, but lamb and poultry can also be cooked en papillote. It is a combination cooking method of baking and steaming.
Ingredients
- 150ml olive oil
- 4 sea bass fillets, each about 6 oz
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
- ½ oz fennel seeds, ground
- 4 tsp Pernod
- 4 tsp crème fraiche
- 2 anchovy fillets cut in half lengthways
- Bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 10 oz fine green beans
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 2 red chilies, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Lime wedges to serve
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6.
- Tear off a 12-inch square sheet of foil, place it on a flat work surface, then an equal size sheet of baking parchment and drizzle with olive oil.
- Place a sea bass fillet on the paper; squeeze over the juice of a tomato and sprinkle with a quarter of the rosemary and ground fennel seeds.
- Drizzle over 1 tsp Pernod, followed by 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp crème fraiche, half an anchovy fillet and seasoning.
- Fold over the foil and seal the edges to create a parcel.
- Repeat with the remaining fillets to make four parcels.
- Chill in the fridge.
- Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 8 mins.
- In a bowl, mix the parsley, raw green beans, onion, garlic; lime zest and juice, spring onions and chilies.
- Drain the potatoes and add to the chopped vegetables (the heat from the potatoes will slightly cook the vegetables).
- Add the vinegar and 8-tbsp. olive oil. Set aside.
- Cook the fish parcels in the oven for 10 – 15 mins.
- Remove and allow to rest for about 2 mins, then serve with the salad and lime wedges.