En Papillote

When you first step into the kitchen and prepare a dish you love for the first time, things can be a little overwhelming; often the last thing you want to do is translate what a technique actually means as you're knee deep in the kitchen. I get it: there are some French cooking methods and terms that scared me so much when I started cooking that I let go of the dream of creating a certain recipe and moved on to something that felt more accessible.

Truth is, fancy words aside, you'll be surprised how many of these techniques are actually fairly simple concepts once you get a little confidence in the kitchen. Like most things we're afraid of, it's never as bad when you tackle the problem head on and figure out what you need to succeed.

So don't sweat the technique right away; once you get into the swing of these, you'll feel like a kitchen queen. Get acquainted with these French terms and techniques, and they'll soon seem like no kitchen biggie.

Cooking en papillote (French for "in parchment") is a method of hand-sealing protein and vegetables in parchment paper, then oven-roasting them. While liquids aren't typically added to the pouch, ingredients seep out their own liquid and effectively steam in their own juices, resulting in a healthy meal that's bound to be filled with both moisture and flavor. In addition, other flavoring agents, like herbs and aromatics, get enveloped in the same steam-filled vessel, amping up the delicious factor.

To create a parchment paper pouch, arrange your ingredients on one half of a large piece of parchment (this method works with aluminum foil, too). Fold the other half on top of your ingredients. Fold up the open edges of the packet in pleats, working from one end to the other. Don't worry too much about how the package looks, as long as it's tightly sealed. When you open your parchment-wrapped meal, you'll find a moist, flavorful, and perfectly cooked meal ready to be plated.

Even though it is most commonly associated with fish and vegetables, other quick-cooking proteins like chicken breast can be cooked the same way. What do you like to cook in parchment?

As someone who is constantly cleaning her kitchen, I really appreciate meals that require minimal cleanup or don't use a lot of dishes. One-pot meals are a great option, but even that leaves me with a dish to clean up. That's where parchment paper becomes my best friend. Cooking in parchment paper, or en papillote, is a simple, fast, and healthy technique. It works particularly well with mild white fish like cod.


I don't really have much experience cooking with fish, but I figured it'd be hard to go wrong with ingredients like Spring onion, asparagus, basil, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. This Spring meal is so easily put together by preparing the vegetables and layering everything on a sheet of parchment paper.


For this incredibly simple recipe, keep reading.

The next time you host a dinner party, why not make a simple and elegant fish en papillote? It's easy to assemble the fish and vegetable packets ahead of time, and while guests are nibbling appetizers, you can pop them in the oven. It's virtually a no-hassle meal that's healthy, and if using seasonal vegetables like asparagus, affordable. It's also fun for everyone to open their own packet at the table. The best thing, however, is the cleanup. All you have to do is toss the parchment paper in the garbage and the dishes in the dishwasher. Seriously, you'll feel like the dinner party threw itself! Want the recipe? Read on.

For a quick-cooking, healthy, and delicious meal, look no further than this recipe for salmon and greens in papillote. Crisp bitter escarole acts as a bed for the moist salmon and simple garlic-butter-tarragon sauce. The whole thing is wrapped in parchment paper and baked in the oven. The resulting dish is a package waiting to be opened and devoured. Although it's an uncomplicated technique, the final presentation makes this fish ideal for impromptu weeknight entertaining. To look at the recipe, read more