TURBOT EN PAPILLOTE (Fish cooked in a pouch)
I love this way of cooking and serving fish, you can have the pouches made up ready for service, pop it in the oven, 12 minutes! And serve, letting the customers open the bag of goodies, and the beautiful aroma and perfectly cooked fish, looks rather flashy but so simple, it's a chefs dream on a busy nights service, but equally it's a cracking way of cooking for a dinner party at home, virtually stress free, and simple to prepare
This recipe will serve 4 people
Shopping list
4 tranche of turbot approximately 170g each (tranche is a cut on the bone, ask your fishmonger)
1kg of fresh live clams or mussels (or a combination of both)
A splash of rapeseed oil
2 banana shallot peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic clove peeled and finely chopped
A 250g block of butter cut into small cubes
A good handful of fresh chervil, dill, or tarragon
150ml of dry white wine
Squeeze of fresh lemon
To serve (optional)
New potatoes
Green beans
Method
1. Heat your oven to 210c
2. Cut 4 square pieces of large non stick baking parchment
3. Lightly oil each sheet
4. Put a turbot tranche in the centre of each piece
5. Now carefully scatter over the butter, shallots, garlic and season well with salt and pepper
6. Carefully fold up the paper leaving a small gap in the top
7. Gently pour in the wine and squeeze of lemon into each and then seal really tightly
8. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 8 minutes
9. Remove the tray from the oven and open up the paper slightly, scatter over the clams and mussels evenly over each piece of fish, seal up again tightly and return to the oven for 4 minutes
10. Remove from the oven and place onto warm plates
11. Serve immediately with some fresh chopped herbs and another squeeze of lemon, new potatoes and green beans would be great
This really is a fantastic way of cooking and keeping the fish beautifully moist