Parchment paper
1 pound cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices or florets
8 anchovy fillets
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup pitted good-quality black olives, such as kalamata, chopped
2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 4 portions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, for generous drizzling
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Crusty bread, to pass at the table
Green salad
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Rip off 4 sheets of parchment paper, each a little over a foot long. Place one fourth of the cauliflower in the center of each sheet of parchment, then top with 2 anchovy fillets, one fourth of the garlic and chopped olives, and 1 portion of cod. Season the cod with salt and pepper and top with equal amounts of the scallions and parsley, Drizzle EVOO liberally and sprinkle lemon zest and juice evenly over the fish portions. Fold the top and bottom edges of the parchment together and crease several times, then crease up the ends of the packets. Arrange the packets on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the center of the hot oven.
Bake the packets for 20 minutes. Serve each packet on a dinner plate and cut open at the table. Pass salad and bread to round out the meal.
4 SERVINGS
I'm sorry I don't have this meal to show. I didn't make it because we went on a camping trip and made hot dogs on a stick instead :) I've made this before and it was just ok. Everything comes out tasting fishy. There are 2 variations on this recipe, so I will be cooking the 3rd one: Spanish Fish in a Sack. Here is what RR says about Fish in a Sack: "My mom made this for us as kids. It's really fancy and French in origin. It was her take on fish in parchment. I make mine in parchment, but Mom used a brown paper lunch sack, which I cannot even find in the stores these days. If you "brown bag it," brush the bag lightly with vegetable oil to keep it from burning in the oven. That's what Mama always did." The only change I made was to add the salad to the ingredient list.
Sounds interesting. I can see why it was just ok and with 2 anchovy fillets it's no surprise everything tasted fishy. I think I'll save my anchovies and black olives for a pissaladiere instead! ;•)
ReplyDeleteI think that if someone presented this to me, I'd most likely eat the brown paper bag and leave its contents on the plate.
ReplyDelete