Parchment Baked Fish With Lemongrass Food

HERB-ROASTED FISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Place the fish fillet on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle it with the salt and pepper. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the top of the fillet. Lay the thyme on top and place the olives next to the fillet.
• Beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of water for an egg wash. Brush the egg wash around the edge of the parchment paper and fold it in half. Carefully fold the edge of the parchment paper under and around the fish to make a package. Place the package on a sheet pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Serve hot in the parchment paper.

FISH EN PAPILLOTE, MEDITERRNANEAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Season the fish with kosher salt and pepper on both sides.
• Prepare the sauce. Place the olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, garlic and spices in a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and whisk to combine.
• Prepare 4 large pieces of parchment paper (about 12 inches or so on each side). Fold the parchment pieces down the middle to mark two halves.
• Assemble the pouches. Place each fish fillet on the bottom half of a parchment piece. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce over the fish. Add 1 lemon slice, 1 tomato slice, and 1 bell pepper slice on top.
• Fold the top half of the parchment paper over the fish and veggies and go around to fold and secure each piece of parchment around the fish and veggies creating a well-wrapped pouch.
• Place the fish pouches on a large baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack of your heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked and flakes easily.
• To serve, leave the fish and veggies in their own closed parchment pouches and transfer each pouch to a serving plate.

LEMONGRASS COCONUT SHRIMP AND NOODLES PARCHMENT PACKS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Cut four 16-inch long sheets of parchment paper. Fold each sheet in half and open like a book, then place 2 each on 2 rimmed baking sheets.
• Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover completely with warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften, then drain well. Dry the bowl and return the noodles to it. Add the spinach and carrots and set aside.
• Whisk the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, garlic, lime zest and juice, and brown sugar together in a medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup of this marinade to the noodles, season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Add the shrimp to the remaining marinade and toss to coat.
• Divide the noodles and vegetables among the 4 sheets of parchment, placing on one side of the fold. Drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons water. Top with the shrimp and drizzle with the remaining marinade. Smash the lemongrass with a mallet or other heavy item; place 2 pieces in each parchment pack.
• Fold over the top half of the parchment, crimping and overlapping small folds along the open edge to seal tightly. Bake until the parchment pack puffs, about 12 minutes; the shrimp should be cooked through.
• Transfer each pack to a plate. Avoiding the hot steam, carefully cut open each pack and discard the lemongrass stalks. Serve with lime wedges.

FISH EN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, add the Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, garlic, parsley, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Zest the lemon right into the bowl (reserve the whole lemon). With a fork, mash the butter with canola oil to smoothly combine all of the ingredients. Cut the whole lemon into thin slices (you will need 8 slices total for the recipe).
• Assemble the Packets: Tear off 4 squares of parchment that are at least 12 inches on each side. Lay the sheet flat on a work surface. Place 1 cup of salad greens in the center of a sheet, leaving space at the top and bottom. On top of the greens, place 1 fish fillet so that it runs vertically top to bottom. Lightly sprinkle the fish with salt. With the back of a small spoon, spread one-quarter of the butter mixture on top of the fish. Lay 2 slices of lemon on top of the butter mixture and scatter 6 tomato halves around the fish.
• Fold the Parchment Packets: Lift the right and left sides of the paper up and towards the center, directly above the fish. Touch the two sides together and tightly roll them, folding as you go, until you reach the fish. Now, roll and crimp the top and bottom ends, rolling them towards the counter, away from the center of the fish. When you reach the end, tuck the end underneath the fish. Place the packet on a rimmed baking sheet, using the weight of the fish to hold the ends in place (you don't want the packet to come unsealed as it bakes). Repeat with remaining three packets. Reserve any remaining lemon slices for serving.
• Place in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is fully cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Serve warm with reserved lemon slices and additional fresh parsley as desired.

BAKED SEA BASS WITH LEMONGRASS & GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Wash the sea bass inside and out, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Score across the fish and through the skin 4-5 times on each side, then lay the fish on a large piece of oiled foil, big enough to wrap it up loosely.
• Put the lemongrass, chillies, garlic and ginger into a mortar with the honey and 1 tbsp of the oil. Squeeze in the juice of one of the limes. Bash a few times with the pestle until everything's bruised - there's no need to grind it finely.
• Season the fish inside and out. Scrape out half the pounded mixture over the fish, add the last of the oil and rub everything in, making sure you push some into the cuts.
• Cut the second lime into quarters and push two pieces into the cavity along with the remainder of the pounded mixture. Fold each kaffir lime leaf in half and tear out the central vein to give you two halves. Push these into the cavity, too.
• Squeeze the juice from the last two lime quarters over the fish and pull the sides of the foil up to create a loose parcel. Crimp the edges to seal, making sure there is some space around the fish.
• Bake for 25 minutes. If you're eating the fish straight away, let it rest for about 5 minutes before opening the parcel. If you're taking it to a picnic, wrap it in another layer of foil the minute it's out of the oven.

PARCHMENT-BAKED FISH WITH LEMONGRASS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Finely chop four green onions. In a small bowl combine chopped green onions, lemongrass, ginger, and oil; set aside. Cut four 15-inch-long pieces of parchment paper. Fold each in half like a book, creasing the center. Open papers and spread an even amount of the lemongrass mixture across the middle of one side of each paper.
• Cut the remaining green onions into 2-inch pieces. Top lemongrass mixture evenly with green onions, mushrooms, and peppers. Drizzle lightly with sriracha. Place fish on vegetables; add a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt. Top with cilantro.
• Fold parchment over food. Seal packets: Starting at the bottom folded edge, crease the corner up at an angle. Working in 2-inch sections, continue creasing open edges, overlapping each fold. Make sure folds are creased tightly so they don't open. Finish by tucking the last flap underneath packet (packet will be a half-moon shape). Transfer filled packets to a baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.* Make a narrow slit and check if fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. (Bake 1 to 2 minutes more, if needed.) Open packets carefully to serve. Makes 4 servings. *Tip: If fish fillets are 3/4 to 1 inch thick, increase baking time to 20 to 25 minutes.

TILAPIA POCKETS WITH CILANTRO-LEMONGRASS MOJO

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the lemongrass, all but 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, 1/2 cup of the mint, 1/2 cup of the oil, garlic, jalapenos, paprika, and salt in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of oil and vinegar and process until smooth. Place the fish fillets in a large baking dish, cover with the mojo and turn to coat. Marinate fish for up to 1 hour.
• Place 4 (16-inch) long pieces of parchment paper on your work surface with the short half facing you. Crease each down the middle. Place a fillet in the center of the bottom half of the rectangle and pour about 1/4 cup of the mojo over each fillet and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cilantro. Fold the top half of over the fillet so that the top and bottom edges meet. Tightly crimp and fold the edges of the parchment working from 1 end around to the other to seal the package. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake for 9 to 10 minutes for 3/4-inch thick fillets or up to 12 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets.
• Place the fish packets on a large serving dish and open the packets tableside. Serve with juices from the packet and sprinkled with the chopped cilantro and mint leaves.

FILLET OF FISH IN PARCHMENT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°.
• Oil lightly the center of your Silpat mat set on a baking sheet, or, if you don't have the mat, oil a piece of foil. Scatter the potato slices over the oiled area, then turn them. Salt and pepper lightly. Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, turning once.
• Meanwhile, cut off an 18-inch piece of parchment paper, and fold it in half. Open it up, and on one half place the fish alongside the folded edge, after salting and peppering it on both sides (see illustrations on preceding page and opposite). Pile the zucchini, carrot, scallion, and ginger on top of the fish, salt again lightly, and splash on enough wine to bathe the fillet(s) lightly. After the potato slices have had their 10-minute pre-roasting, arrange them on top or around the edge of the fish and sprinkle the herbs over all. Fold the other half of the parchment over, then fold in the open edge twice, and pleat it all around to make a semicircular airtight package. If it tends to open up where the folded edges meet, secure that place with a binder clip or a large paper clip. Place on the sheet pan, and bake for 12 minutes. If you have a fairly thick fillet, you may need to bake it 1 or 2 minutes more. Test with a skewer; if it goes in easily, the fish is done. Plunk the whole parchment package on a big dinner plate, and enjoy.
• Second Round
• You can make a delicious salad with the remaining fish. Arrange a bed of watercress or young arugula leaves on a salad plate, and set the fish on top. Spoon 2 or 3 tablespoons of Sauce Gribiche over it (see page 160), or, if you don't have that handy, use about 2 tablespoons mayonnaise thinned and tarted up with a little plain yogurt or lemon juice and seasoned with a small, finely chopped cornichon (or part of a dill pickle) and 1/2 teaspoon capers. Garnish with some strips of roasted red pepper-your own (see page 242) or from a jar-a few black olives, and some cherry tomatoes. Or try the Fish Salad recipe on page 157. These are just suggestions. Use your imagination, based on what you may have on hand.

WHOLE ROAST FISH WITH LEMONGRASS AND GINGER

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the body and inside of the fish dry, and space the fish evenly apart on an unlined sheet pan. Using a sharp knife, cut two diagonal slits, 2 inches apart, into the skin of each fish, making sure not to cut through to the bone. Repeat the slits on the other side. Drizzle both sides and the inside of the fish with 3 tablespoons oil, and season with the 1 1/2 tablespoons salt.
• Working in batches if necessary, transfer the lemongrass to the bowl of an asanka or a mortar. Use the pestle to pound the lemongrass pieces until crushed and fragrant. Move the crushed pieces to one side of the mortar bowl or the asanka. Add the ginger pieces and repeat the pounding process until they're crushed. Combine the ginger and the lemongrass. Add the scallion greens and scotch bonnet chile. Use the pestle to crush and combine these with the lemongrass mixture. Add the shallot and zest of 1 lemon, crush and combine with the pestle. Stir in the turmeric and coconut milk. (Makes about 1 1/4 cup marinade.) Alternatively, you can do this step in a food processor. Add in the ingredients in the order listed, and pulse them all together. Stir in the turmeric and coconut milk.
• Slice the zested lemon into 3 or 4 rounds. Spread the marinade generously over both sides of each fish and about 2 tablespoons into each cavity. Place a lemon slice, the white end of a scallion and some cilantro sprigs in each cavity. (At this point, the fish can be left to marinate for up to 30 minutes, or covered and refrigerated overnight.) Drizzle the tops of the fish with the remaining oil.
• Roast the fish until firm and cooked through, rotating the sheet pan once halfway through the process, about 22 to 25 minutes. Slice the remaining lemon into wedges. Serve the fish over steamed rice or alongside a hearty salad, with the lemon wedges for squeezing.