Fish under paper

By Chef Kady Guyton
January 6, 2010

Raise your hand if your New Year's resolution included losing weight, eating healthier and becoming five years younger. I can help with the second one, the other two are up to you. And good luck with that last one.

One of the biggest, most common mistakes people make when they try to eat healthier is replacing actual food with lower calorie versions. This backfires in two ways: 1) the body still wants the real thing and 2) the "healthier" version tends to be made up of a lot things that aren't actually food to begin with, thereby negating any healthy ground that was gained.

This week, we're going to make a dish that is healthy, flavorful, fairly quick and very tasty: Talipia in a bag.

Cooking in parchment is a technique often seen in restaurants. Most home cooks shy away from it, but there's really no reason to be nervous. This method is nearly foolproof and the presentation is impressive enough for a company meal.

When cooking in parchment, the main thing to keep in mind is to use actual parchment paper. It has many uses and can be found with the plastic wrap and aluminum foil at the grocery store. It generally comes in either bleached or natural colors and both do an equally good job. Whatever you do, do not substitute wax paper. Wax is great for the freezer and wrapping sticky things prior to storing, but it should never be used with heat. Don't send wax to do parchment's job and all will be fine.

The contents of the parchment packet are generally left up to the chef, but fish is ideal for this sort of thing. I used tilapia, an extremely mild white fish that is also low in mercury. Halibut, cod, sole or any other firm white fish will work as well. The good people at Nevada City Seafood have a great selection and are very knowledgeable. Plan for a six to eight ounce serving per person.

In addition to the fish, there should be vegetables and one or two aromatics in the packet as well. Carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, green onion, celery, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, parsley and any other herbs are all fine choices. Add a bit of lemon juice or white wine and a teaspoon of butter and it's ready to go.

How to wrap the whole thing up. This part only looks tricky and it goes like this.
1. Tear off a piece of parchment paper 14 to 16 inches long. Fold in half.
2. Cut half a heart shape as though you were making a Valentine. When the paper is unfolded, you should have a large heart. Lay flat.
3. On half the heart, place the fish, vegetables, and herbs. Squeeze on the lemon and add wine if using and the butter.
4. Fold the other half of the heart over the contents.
5. Starting at one end, roll and pleat the edges together, working around the outside. Make the folds as tight as possible, there will be liquid inside after cooking.
6. Transfer finished packet to a baking dish or cookie sheet and repeat for the rest of the fish. The fully-cooked packet will puff up slightly. Transfer the unopened packet to a plate and cut open at the table with dramatic flair.

The advantage of this cooking method is that the fish steams in its own juices, resulting in very moist fish that's nearly impossible to overcook. The vegetables get seasoned along with it and you end up with a complete meal in a bag.

If there is no parchment available, foil can be substituted, but there will be no puffing effect in the finished product.

Enjoy with a glass of wine and a healthy attitude.

Fish in Parchment
Serves 2

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced on an angle
1 carrots thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, quqrtered and thinly sliced crosswise
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
1 lemon, cut in half
2 6- to 8-ounce pieces tilapia, cod, sea bass or other firm white fish
1/4 cup white vermouth or dry white wine

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper as described above. In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, carrots, onion, garlic and herbes de Provence. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Place one fish fillet on each piece of parchment. Divide the seasoned vegetables evenly and place on top of the fish; squeeze the juice of half a lemon over everything. Douse with the vermouth or wine, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Seal using method described above.

3. Roast until the fish is just opaque, about 12-15 minutes.