Change Up Your Salmon Routine With Jacques Pepin's Elegant Parchment Method - Tasting Table

"En papillote requires placing the items to be cooked inside of parchment, sealing it, and then cooking it. Pépin builds directly on the parchment, seasoning the fish on both sides, then topping it with thinly sliced vegetables. Thinly slicing the vegetables ensures that they will cook through entirely by the time the fish is also done cooking."

"The fish and vegetables are finished off with a massive chunk of butter before folding the parchment in half and then beginning to seal everything up. Once folded in half, fold sharp, angled, overlapping pleats, beginning at one corner and continuing all the way to the other corner, but don't seal up the very edge. For flair, Pépin uses a bike pump to inflate the parchment."

"After, twist the corner to seal it up and brush the parchment with melted oil to brown the paper for a fancier look, but it is also optional. Finally, bake on a sheet tray in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes. To serve, place the entire packet on a plate, or you can also open the paper and slide the entire dish out onto the plate."

Place seasoned fish on parchment, top with thinly sliced vegetables, and add a generous piece of butter for flavor and moisture. Fold the parchment in half and create sharp, angled, overlapping pleats to form a sealed packet, leaving the final edge unsealed before twisting the corner. Inflating the packet is optional and can be done by blowing, using a straw, or a pump; brushing with melted oil browns the exterior for presentation. Bake the packets on a sheet tray at 400°F for about 10 minutes. Packets can be assembled ahead and refrigerated until baking.

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