Sea Bass en Papillote is such a beautiful presentation. I love serving this recipe, still sealed tightly in the parchment sack it was steamed in, alongside a simple green salad and a homemade biscuit. Make a small crosscut in the top of the sack and then peel back to reveal the most beautifully steamed fish and vegetables. In addition to an interesting presentation, this recipe is easily adaptable to countless combinations of fresh fish and seasonal vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 six ounce sea bass fillets
- 1 fennel bulb (save fronds for garnish) sliced 1/4” thickness
- 2-3 small sweet red peppers (approximate) 2” diameter *
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 rectangles of parchment paper (16”x18”)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Rub sweet red peppers with oil and place on a baking sheet. Broil on HIGH until skins begin to blister and char. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to slice in 1/4” strips. OR place over the open flame of a gas burner and rotate to char evenly. Discard stems, seeds and any skin that easily peels away.
Fold each sheet of parchment paper in half, lengthwise. You’ve just created two folded pieces of parchment that are now 16” x 9”.
REPEAT the following instructions for each piece of sea bass:
- Working in the middle of the lower rect angle of parchment paper, place 2-3 slices of fennel bulb, slightly overlapping each other but mostly in a single layer.
- Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place one portion of sea bass on top of the fennel.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper (1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper).
- Top with 4-5 slices of fire roasted sweet peppers and 3-4 slices of shallot.
- Add a final pinch of salt and pepper.
- Fold (see note below)
Place wrapped parchment pouches on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
You’ll know the fish is done when you lightly press the middle and it’s firm to the touch. To serve, snip a crosshatch in the center of the sack and tear all four corners, peeling back to reveal the steamed fish.
Note on fold techniques: Once you’ve seasoned and dressed the sea bass, fold the top half of the paper over and begin on the upper left. Make your first fold to form a triangle that points toward the fish, like a paper airplane. One finger’s-length distance from the crease, fold again at a 45° angle to the last fold. Continue repeating as you curve around the fillet, never folding into the fish — just right next to it. When you’ve reached the end of the paper you’ll have a little chimney of paper left.
Tightly twist the ending corner, like turning a key, to seal the sack closed.
