Salmon en Papillote…

En papillote means “in parchment” in French. My mother, who is French, originally from Lyons, France, makes this dish pretty much every week. It is one of her favorite dishes.

Although I had never worked with parchment paper before but always thought it was an intriguing way to cook something, and, since I enjoy my mother’s salmon dish so much, I decided to try this recipe on my own. Very fun and easy to do.

So, this is a tribute to my mother’s simple salmon “en papillote.” A classic staple! I hope you enjoy this fish dish as much as I do! Always opt for the best ingredients—wild salmon whenever possible, fresh herbs, and fresh lemons.

Wild salmon has wonderful health benefits. It has omega-3 essential fatty acids which are excellent for your brain health. Salmon is an excellent source of protein as well.

This dish is delicious the next day, served cold, with a dollop of green herb sauce. Or a simple dollop of good (French!) mustard. Enjoy!

Ingredients: (serves 2)
• wild salmon filets, two pieces, about 6 ounces each (skin optional)
• lemon, 1/2
• sea salt
• black pepper
• herbes de provence, (a mixture of dried herbs from Provence, France),
about two teaspoons
• fresh microgreens (optional) (for creating a pretty plate…as a garnish),
about two tablespoons

Utensils:
Parchment paper, two large squares about 15 by 15 inches…
(please note: always use culinary parchment paper! For culinary use only! Not regular paper. You can buy this specialty item – parchment paper for culinary use only – at grocery stores, culinary stores, or specialty food department stores).
Baking dish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Tear off two large squares of parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Place each salmon filet in the center of each parchment square.
4. Season with salt, pepper, herbes de provence.
5. Squeeze fresh lemon on each salmon filet.
6. Wrap each salmon filet with parchment paper and with a twist on each side. Fold each side twist and tuck each side twist under the salmon filet parchment packet. Make sure there is a little air in the packet.
7. Place the two salmon filet parchment paper packets in the baking dish.
8. Once oven is heated, bake the prepped salmon filet packets in the baking dish, for 30 minutes. Serve the salmon in the parchment packets as part of your dining experience. Have guests unwrap their parchment packets on their plates and enjoy! Add a tiny sprinkle of fresh microgreens on top of each filet for a bit of beauty and fun!

Options:
1. Enjoy other types of fresh fish—cod, mahi, tilapia, halibut, tuna.
2. Use lime instead of lemon.
3. Add other dried herbs instead of herbes de provence—dill, parsley, tarragon.
4. Use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs—a sprig of dill, a sprig of parsley, a sprig of tarragon for a different culinary flavor.
5. Add a bright verdant sauce to your salmon dish once it is done—pesto or salsa verde! Dollop a bright fresh green sauce on top of your salmon and enjoy! Serve a fresh green herb sauce in a pretty pottery bowl or in a small side dish with a spoon. Have your guests add a spoonful of salsa verde on top of their salmon filet, once the salmon is served.
6. To complete your dinner: add a salad of mixed field greens with a vinaigrette dressing, a side dish of sautéed vegetables, and a side dish of small, steamed potatoes!

*use culinary parchment paper only—meant for cooking purposes.

Enjoy!

october 22, 2018 • recipe 22
a recipe by Carol Giardino • all rights reserved