Fish cooked en papillote is going to be a winner, whether the packaging is greased parchment paper, as in the original French method, or today’s more common aluminum foil.
The feast the diner unwraps consists of moist and tender pieces of fish, to which well-seasoned vegetables may have been added, plus a flavorful broth.
If you haven’t yet tried it, the following haddock recipe will help. It’s among the tested-beyond-doubt selection the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine set out in their new cookbook, “The Best Light Recipe” (America’s Test Kitchen, 2006, $35).
The front cover tells us the book offers “300 lower-fat recipes that put flavor first.” Detailed documentation of the painstaking process of developing these recipes is included, in classic Cook’s Illustrated style.
The range is wide, from appetizers and salads, pasta and main dishes through quick breads and desserts. Each recipe comes with a nutrition analysis, often underlined with before-and-after comparison panels.
The book’s fish-en-papillote recipe for haddock uses foil and, naturally, the ingredients and cooking times that won out during experimenting.
Cod, red snapper, thick sole fillets, halibut, and tilapia also work well in this recipe, the book tells us. Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin from the fillets.
The packets may be assembled several hours ahead of time and refrigerated, but they should be baked just before serving. Because the fish is sealed tightly in the packet, it will continue to cook out of the oven. To prevent overcooking, open each packet promptly after baking.
Haddock With Zucchini and Tomatoes en Papillote
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 F.
Combine the oil, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Measure half of the oil mixture into a separate medium bowl and toss gently with the tomatoes. Add the zucchini to the remaining olive-oil mixture and toss to coat.
Cut four 12-inch squares of heavy-duty foil and lay them flat on a work surface. Shingle the zucchini in the center of each piece of foil. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and place on top of the zucchini. Top the fish with the tomatoes, then tightly crimp the foil into packets.
Set the packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the fish just flakes apart, about 20 minutes. Carefully open the packets, allowing the steam to escape away from you, and let cool briefly.
Smooth out the edges of the foil and, using a spatula, gently push the fish, vegetables and any accumulated juices out onto warmed dinner plates. Sprinkle with the basil before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 240 cal., 9 g total fat (1.5 g saturated), 95 mg chol., 5 g carbo., 35 g pro., 2 g fiber, 410 mg sodium.
