Fish in Parchment with Tomatoes, Capers, Fennel, and Olives
From my perspective, fish is one of those ingredients some folks simply don’t buy because they don’t feel confident cooking it. I don’t think I’ve mastered the craft myself, and cooking is my profession. This is exactly why I’m excited to share today’s recipe for Fish in Parchment with Tomatoes, Capers, Fennel, and Olives. It’s a relatively uncomplicated way to cook fish with excellent results.
Foolproof Fish Hack: Cook it in Parchment
I developed this recipe for my recent cooking classes at Rancho La Puerta. At first, the students were intimidated by the use of parchment. Preparing fish in “papillote”, as the French call it, was a first for most of them. But it’s no different than folding wrapping paper around a birthday gift. The students nailed it right out of the gate. The big plus of this cooking method is that it creates a moist heating environment, which means less risk of dry, overcooked fish.
But First, the Tasty Tomato Business
You start by sweating down onions, fennel, and cherry tomatoes all at once in a big skillet. When the vegetables are good and tender, add capers and olives. Then, lay the fish on a big piece of parchment, spoon the tomato mixture on top, and wrap it up. Then it goes onto a baking sheet and into the oven. Tip: If you aren’t crazy about olives, you can leave them out.
What Type of Fish to Use
One aspect of this recipe that appeals to me is its flexibility. You can use any number of different types of fish. That way you can choose fish based on what looks good at the market (you want a glossy surface and no fishy funk) and what is locally caught and/or what came in fresh that day (ask your fishmonger). If, for example, the halibut you intended to buy is $30 a pound, you can choose the cod that’s gleaming in the fish case. Or if wild salmon is in season and you want to splurge, you can go for it. A few tips:
- Steer towards fish large enough that you can get one big filet, as opposed to several little ones.
- Know that a thicker cut will take longer to cook.
- A thinner filet will cook much more quickly.
How to Know the Fish is Done
Gauging when the fish is cooked is always the trickiest business. That’s in part because fish fillets are not uniform in size and thickness and different types of fish will take longer or shorter to cook. To test for doneness:
- Remove the fish from the oven, unfurl the parchment, and push aside the vegetables.
- Poke the tip of a paring knife into the fish. It should be opaque in color and easily flake or separate. One exception is for salmon or steelhead, which can remain a little pink in the center.
- Know that fish will continue to cook after it’s out of the oven, so you can plan for that by pulling it just shy of done.
- If you’re uncertain, you can use an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the fish. You can look for appropriate temperatures depending on species using the guidelines here.
If you like Fish in Parchment with Tomatoes, Capers, Fennel, and Olives, you might like:
Halibut in Parchment with Corn and Mushrooms
Cajun Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce
Perfectly Seared Fish with Asparagus
Fish Sliders with Creamy Caper Sauce
Fish in Parchment with Tomatoes, Capers, Fennel, and Olives
A wonderful way to cook fish, the tomato fennel mixture adds fabulous flavor and cooking it in parchment is a good way to keep it moist and tender. I like to serve this with little roasted or boiled potatoes on the side and a big salad. If serving for a dinner party, you can do this with four individual filets, each one wrapped on its own.
Ingredients
- 1 medium bulb fennel
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ heaping cups cherry tomatoes (1 dry pint)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the fish
- ½ cup pitted olives, such as Castelvetrano or Kalamata, torn in half
- 2 tablespoons capers
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ pound filet of fish, such as halibut, cod, pollack, striped bass, salmon, or steelhead (ideally, one single filet)
For preparing the fish
- Parchment paper
To garnish
- A light handful roughly chopped fresh basil
- 1 lemon, quartered
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay a piece of parchment over a large baking sheet. It should be several inches beyond the length of the baking sheet on both sides (big enough to easily wrap up the fish, like a generous piece of gift wrapping).
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Cut the stalks off of the fennel bulb. Cut the bulb in half through the stem. Trim out the little triangle of core. Cut into very thin slices.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the fennel, onion, cherry tomatoes, pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté until the onion and fennel are tender and the tomatoes begin to wrinkle and soften, about 7 minutes. If the onions begin to brown, turn down the heat a bit. Stir in the olives and capers.
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Lay the fish lengthwise along the parchment right in the center, skin-side-down. Season the flesh of the fish with a few pinches of salt and several grinds of black pepper and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Spoon the fennel/tomato mixture on top of the fish.
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To wrap the fish in parchment, lift shorter sides of the paper towards the center. Touch the two sides together and tightly roll them down until you reach the fish. Then, crimp the top and bottom ends of the parchment and roll them under a few times. Tuck the paper snug beneath each end of the fish. It doesn't need to look pretty or perfect, it just needs to looked sealed, so the moisture stays inside as it cooks.
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Bake until the fish is cooked through in the center. The time will vary considerably depending on the type of fish and its thickness. A thick filet of halibut may take up to 20 minutes. Salmon is likely to be closer to 15 minutes. And a thinner filet, could be under 10 minutes. Figure roughly 130 F on an instant read thermometer, knowing the temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
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Lift the sides of the paper and transfer the fish to a serving platter. Serve right from the parchment or use a large spatula to carefully nudge the fish onto the platter (if it falls apart a little, you can piece it back together and then cover with the vegetables (nobody will be the wiser). Scatter with basil and serve the lemon wedges alongside.
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Serves 4.
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