ChezCindy: Roasted Fish in Parchment Packets

Roasting fish in parchment paper packets is fast, fresh and easy.  Learning this method of cooking offers great flexibility as you can use any flakey white fish you prefer, such as cod or halibut, and a choice of vegetables.  Be sure to have plenty of good crusty bread on hand to sop up all of the juices that gather in the parchment pack.

Parchment Packet Roasted Fish
serves 4
4-6oz portions of skinless white flakey fish, cod or halibut
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
2 shallots
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 ears of corn
4 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons dry white wine
fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley or cilantro
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place 4 sheets of parchment paper (approximately 16"x12" in size) on a work surface.  Thinly slice the zucchini, squash and shallots.  Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.  Cut the corn off the cob.

Divide the zucchini, squash and shallot slices among the 4 sheets of parchment, arranging on one end of the paper, placing the slices into a thin layer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a drizzle of oil.  Place one portion of fish on top of the sliced vegetables.  Scatter the tomato halves and the cut corn around the fish.  Drizzle each fish with the remaining oil; sprinkling the fish and vegetables with salt and pepper.  Place a 1/2 tablespoon of butter onto the top of each fish.  Add a 1/2 tablespoons of fresh herbs to each packet.  Fold the parchment paper over the fish and vegetables.  Begin crimping around the edges of the paper.  The paper will begin to resemble a half-moon shape.  As you get to the final crimp, carefully pour 1 tablespoon of white wine into each packet.  Crimp the last edge to seal.
Place the sealed packets onto 2 large rimmed baking sheets - 2 packets of fish per baking sheet.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes.  This is where you'll want to toast some bread, ready for sopping up the juices.  Place one packet onto 4 separate plates.  Carefully cut open the top of each packet (steam will escape), keeping the fish and vegetables resting inside of the packet with it's juices.  Serve as a full meal and enjoy.


A note on parchment paper:  I always have pre-cut half-sheet parchment paper on hand that I order from King Arthur Flour.  They offer it in packages of 100 sheets.  It stores well and can be used when lining half-sheet pans for baking and cooking as demonstrated here.  They also have a great selection of 8 and 9 inch round parchment paper.  So easy to use when baking cakes.