My father used to order Pompano en Papillote sometimes when we ate in fancy restaurants. The waiter would bring out his plate with just a paper pouch thing on it and then carefully open the bag to reveal the fish cooked along with crab, vegetables and herbs. It didn't make much sense to me as a kid until a few months ago while shopping in a grocery store out of state, I ran across parchment bags. You didn't have to cut the parchment out and fold it like origami to make a pouch. This was just like a paper bag made of parchment that only needed the ingredients and folding. Place the bag on a baking sheet and into the oven. As the food cooks and creates steam, the bag puffs up. At the table the paper is slit and peeled back to reveal the food. Adds a little drama.
En Papillote is enjoying a revival as a healthier way of preparing fish and vegetables. I tried it with halibut, lemon, leek and a few herbs, salt & pepper. First I put in some olive oil, then the fish, etc. and 1/2 a cup of dry white wine. The halibut had been frozen and lost some moisture in thawing and I cooked it a bit too long and the fish so it was too dry for my taste but the flavor is there and worth giving it another effort.
It's simple and the clean up is easy. It also gives your dinner guests a extra entertainment when you serve their plates. I'm going to give it another try.
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