en papillote

[art]

Does anyone have any good recipes using parchment paper as a pouch to cook in?

[Melman]

Ohmygosh! I'm embarrassed to even say this. While flipping channels last night (HONEST!!), I caught Martha Stewart cooking some kind of fish in parchment paper. You might find the recipe on her website. Hey...I was wasting a few minutes before leaving to go to kickboxing class so didn't stick around to watch. [I'm one of those folks who lets MS drive me crazy! ....but we won't go there because I know lots of people who really like her.] :D

[munchies]

I don't usually watch Martha either -- but I happened to see this episode. She cooked red snapper fillets with lemon slices and a caper based sauce in parchment paper. I imagine you could get the recipe off of her website. I remember that she served it with couscous that had dill and .... oh, I don't remember! Either way, check the website. Good luck.

[amanda]

I make fish fillets this way all the time. You cut a sheet of parchment into a heart shape, fold it in half to crease the middle and open it back up, spray it with a bit of cooking spray, add your ingredients and fold over the parchment. Then, starting at the bottom (point) make little folds towards the food (1/4"). After the first couple of folds, start folding in a little more from the side each time (this is hard to explain, but once you try it might make sense- I hope). Keep folding up the side and around the curve at the top until the whole thing is sealed. My bf said it is just like folding a pool cover, so if you have a pool that might help. Anyway, just make sure the whole thing is sealed so no steam escapes. Then bake at 425 for 15 mins. The packet will be puffed up and a little brown. Cut it open carefully (steam) and serve it over rice or cous cous- there are tons of juices in the packet that get soaked up... yum! Any veggies you add cook along with the fish.
I've made halibut with diced tomatoes, a tbsp. vermouth, capers and thyme, flounder with zucchini and lemon, turbot with diced red peppers and a bunch of others. You can even just make a fish fillet with a couple of lemon slices or Old Bay.
The only thing that I've tried that didn't work well is spinach- it burned a little.
These are the best things after an active day- really easy to make and light and healthy tasting- my favorite after-kayaking treat.

[art]

Thanks for your ideas! I will try some and go visit Martha S's website! Sounds yummy!