Haddock and Sauteed Vegetables “en papillote”



Haddock and Sautéed Vegetables “en papillote”

By Charlie Burke

The Heart of New England



In the terrace restaurant on the roof of a hotel in Uzes, a beautiful medieval city near the Pont du Gard in the south of France, we had a sunny lunch featuring typical local dishes of Provence and the Cote de Rhone region. I chose an exception: salmon and vegetables cooked “en papillote.”

Literally, this means “cooked in paper” and refers to recipes which seal ingredients in parchment paper to be baked in the oven. Purists probably consider parchment paper necessary in this preparation, but many now substitute aluminum foil. Sealing the pouch is essential because steam plays a vital role in the cooking, and sealing foil is easier than paper.

Noted chef and cookbook author Jean – Georges Vongerichten has recipes for chicken in foil which is cooked over high heat in a sauté pan, and he says the foil puffs up like Jiffy Pop! Ether way, presentation is dramatic as steam escapes when the pouch is opened, carrying with it the aromas of herbs and all other ingredients.

Besides concentrating flavors, this preparation is easy, can be done well ahead and uses little or no fat. Choose whichever fresh fish is available and add your favorite vegetables and herbs. Shrimp and scallops would also work well with a shorter cooking time. I have found that vegetables such as carrots and leeks, even when thinly sliced, often do not cook during the brief time in the oven, a problem solved by sautéing them briefly. The vegetables I was served included endive which had been seared, along with eggplant, leeks, tomato and green beans.

Two servings:

2 thick 6 – 8 ounce haddock fillets

2 medium leeks, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced or julienned

8 – 10 cherry tomatoes, halved (in season use any fresh tomato)

1 medium carrot, sliced lengthwise, then cut into thin julienne strips

1 summer squash or zucchini, sliced and julienned

½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Salt and ground pepper to taste

½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1 – 2 teaspoons olive oil

Heat a sauté pan over medium – high heat (use a non stick pan if avoiding fat and add ¼ cup white wine, stock or water). When pan is hot, add oil and all vegetables except the tomatoes and cook, stirring and tossing until slightly soft.

Cut two 18 inch lengths of aluminum foil (preferably the 18 inch wide heavy duty foil). Place some of the vegetable mix in the center of each, place the fish fillets over the vegetables and the remaining vegetables over the fish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Fold the foil onto itself and crimp the edges tightly in 1 -2 inch folds. Push down on the edges to ensure the pouches are well sealed, but leave room around the fish. The packets can be refrigerated for several hours before cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and cook for approximately 12 minutes for a fillet 1 ¼ inch thick. Remove from oven and let sit for 2 – 3 minutes. Bring to the table unopened, and let your guests cut open the foil for a dramatic presentation. Served with rice and a salad this is as suitable for a dinner party as it is for a family dinner, and you don’t have to point out that it is also low calorie!

About the author:

An organic farmer and avid cook, writer Charlie Burke is the vice president of the New Hampshire Farmer’s Market Association () and helps run the Sanbornton Farmers' Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, he growscertified organic herbs, greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in Sanbornton, NH. His column & recipes appear weekly in The Heart of New England's newsletter... To get your free subscription send a blank email to heartofnewengland-subscribe@

Do you have a food-related question? Write to Charlie: crjoburke@ .

Please put “The Heart of New England” in the subject line.

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