en papillote

There’s something delightful about receiving a parcel. It’s the child-like discovery process in the opening of the parcel that delights and enchants us.

This holds true also for food. Cooking in parchment paper, …… en papillote in French or al cartoccio in Italian, was one of the earliest cooking techniques that I experimented with as a child. Perhaps I was enchanted (then as now) with the hidden treasures of aromas and taste. When the best of the season’s ingredients are folded in a pouch (of parchment, bag or aluminium foil) and then baked, the flavour is captured within and released as the parcel is opened.

One of my most memorable parcels was Tuscan perfection at Cibreo in Florence and provides the perfect example of cooking with this technique. A parcel of aluminium foil arrives at the restaurant table. The simple package is opened to reveal flat wild mushrooms, which had been baked in a little oil, and tickled with a few fresh herbs. All the flavour, all the aromas were retained. Simple! Delicious!

To make a parcel lay the parchment (or foil) out flat. Grease with butter or oil. Place ingredients in the centre of the sheet (covering no more than 1/4 of the surface area). Add just a little wet ingredient (wine, stock, water, tomato concasse …) as a sauce if desired. Add the hero and accompaniments including herbs spice and seasonings. Fold the sides to close the parcel at the top and sides; roll to the edges to secure tightly.

Ideas and combinations for ingredients are limitless. Here are just a few basic ideas as a starting point:

Fish and seafood

En papilotte is a technique that is most suitable for fish and seafood. Fish is the most commonly used ingredient for this method of cooking. The simplest approach is to add slices of lemon, and a herb (such as dill), or perhaps even capers. In the photos (above and below) this whole fish is on a bed of onions, fennel tops with dill attached (dill, or aniseed as the fennel bulb and top was described at my greengrocer) lemon and seasoning in the cavity, lemon slices and salted capers on top. I didn’t wash the capers, and let the salt provide additional seasoning to the whole fish that I baked. Here are some other ideas.

• Fish can be cooked with a vegetable accompaniment in the same parcel. Try a mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery) or a julienne trio such as leeks, capsicum/pepper, carrots as starting points.
• Molluscs (such as squids, cuttlefish or octopus) enjoy this treatment with a bed of fennel, or try tomato concasse or green pesto oil
• Bivalves (such as mussels, clams, cockles or pipis) and a splash of white wine with a herb make a simple treat

From these bases, add other flavours, experiment, enjoy. Try a parcel with Asian flavour combinations too.

While parcels are traditionally baked in the oven, these ideas above and below, can also be adapted for the BBQ. Here I’ve served the fish for an easy weeknight dinner, with fennel (bulb braised in white wine) and baby eggplant (sauteed in extra virgin olive oil, cumin and chilli).

Vegetables

• Potatoes, radishes, carrots with a little vegetable broth and garlic (try other root vegetables such as sweet potato, parsnips, rutabaga, celeriac)
• When I can I bake corn on the cob still in its husk as its own parcel. Where the husk has been removed use aluminium foil. Accompaniments in the foil parcel can include butter, salt and pepper, red capsicum/pepper dice, chilli flakes
• Zucchini/courgettes make a wonderful base vegetable for a parcel as this technique retains flavour. Serve skewered on rosemary branches with pieces of red capsicum/bell pepper and a little tomato/garlic/white wine sauce

Try also Chicken, Duck, Lamb, Pork, Beef and accompaniments … I believe the French also use this method for Rabbit … now that your getting the hang of this expand your repertoire to include Kangaroo, Goat, Venison, Pidgeon and more

Offal I’ve seen recipes in French cookbooks for en papillote for sheep’s tongue and have had success in lightly cooking livers with cognac and cream in a parcel

Fruit

• Strawberries or other berries warmed through with brandy make a simple parcel idea
• Bananas and brown sugar and rum are another treat

I’ve read and seen others partly cook the ingredients before laying on the paper. I’ve never done this. I’ve only put my fresh raw ingredients in my treasure. I’m not sure if it’s because I want to utilise this method to its utmost, if it’s because I am lazy, or if it’s just because I’m in the habit and cooking this way (without first searing or sealing) since I was a child, but in any regard, each time my end results have been delicious.