Thai-Style Fish en Papillote (in parchment paper)

This Thai Style Fish en Papillote recipe is buttery, flaky, light, and lemony, wrapped in parchment paper and half-baked/half-steamed with crispy garlic. This Paleo fish recipe takes little hands-on time, is full of flavor, and Whole30, Keto, AIP, and gluten-free. Perfect no prep meal for seafood lovers !!

What is Fish en Papillote ?

According to Wikipedia, En Papillote is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel holds in moisture to steam the food and therefore it maintains the moisture source. This method is most often used to cook fish or vegetables, but lamb and poultry can also be cooked en papillote

Simple Thai Style Fish en Papillote (fish wrapped in parchment paper) with lemongrass and crispy garlic

To make Thai Style Fish en Papillote is actually very simple. “En papillote” means to cook in paper. Making a papillote may look complicated, but it’s actually quite fun ! It takes only a little practice to turn a simple piece of parchment paper into a flavor- and moisture-trapping envelope. It’s simple to make and looks gorgeous on presentation, making this Fish en Papillote recipe perfect for everyday as well as special occasions.

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I finally chop shallot, red chili pepper, and lemongrass as base aromatic foundation for my Thai style Fish en Papillote. Mix with a few tablespoons of fish sauce and olive oil and spoon the mixture over fillet before wrapping it up for baking.

The whole process takes about 5 to 10 mins. The fish is flaky, buttery, soft, lemony, and full of flavor. What a wonderful way to bring new exciting flavor to this Thai take on Fish en Papillote !

Why cook fish in parchment paper ?

The pleated parchment paper pocket holds in moisture to steam the fish so this way the delicate fish maintains its moisture.The pocket is created by overlapping circles of parchment paper and then folding them tightly around the food to create a seal. It’s recommended that a papillote should be opened at the table to allow people to smell the aroma when it opens.

How to cook fish in parchment paper?

1. Start with a sheet of parchment paper about 18-20 inches long. Fold it in half, then open it back up. Place the fillet on one half place of the paper alongside the folded edge. Spoon over the seasonings on top of the fillet.
2. Next, fold the paper over so the two ends meet, enclosing the food. Beginning at either end of the center crease, make small, overlapping diagonal folds around the filling, pleating it all around to make a semicircular airtight package that looks like a half-moon shape calzone. Seal the papillote tight. You might need to twist and fold the end tip to secure the envelope. Place the packet over a large sheet pan.
3. Bake at 400F, top rack, between 12-20 minutes (depending on the type and thickness of the fillets) until buttery flaky. Test with a skewer; if it goes in easily, the fish is done. Let cool for 3-4 minutes before using a kitchen scissor to cut open the packet (be careful the hot steam).

So my friends this Paleo take on Thai Style Fish en Papillote is –

Buttery
Flaky
Lemony
Full of flavor and color
Very little hands-on time
Perfect no-prep meal
Practical for everyday & gorgeous for special occasions
Paleo, Whole30, Keto, AIP, low carb and gluten-free

If you give this Paleo Fish en Papillote a try, let me know ! Leave a comment and rate the recipe. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #IHeartUmami on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with. XOXO !

Recipe Card

Thai Fish en Papillote (Fish in Parchment Paper)

4.85 from 13 votes

By ChihYu Smith

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

This Thai Style Paleo Fish en Papillote recipe is buttery, flaky, light, and lemony, wrapped in parchment paper and half-baked/half-steamed with crispy garlic. This Paleo fish recipe takes little hands-on time, is full of flavor, and Whole30, Keto, AIP, and gluten-free. Perfect no prep meal for seafood lovers !!

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Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ¾ lbs white fish fillet such as sea bass halibut, or cod (boneless and skinless)
• ▢ 1-2 bulbs chopped scallions

Sauce:

• ▢ 1 lemongrass stalk*
• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1.5 tbsp Red Boat fish sauce
• ▢ 1 large shallot finely chopped
• ▢ 1 red fresno or serrano chili pepper seeds removed & finely chopped (optional)
• ▢ Black pepper to taste optional

Crispy garlic cloves:

• ▢ 6 large garlic cloves sliced finely lengthways
• ▢ 2 tbsp avocado oil
• ▢ Salt to taste

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Instructions 

• Sauce: Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Remove the tough outer part of lemongrass. Cut off the green color top part and only use the white bulbous part. Use a small bottle or meat pounder to pound the lemongrass a few times until it’s in flat shape then finely chop them. Combine all ingredients under “Sauce”. Set aside.
  

En Papillote (wrap in parchment paper): Start with a sheet of parchment paper about 18-20 inches long. Fold it in half, then open it back up. Place the fish fillet on one half place of the paper alongside the folded edge. Spoon over the sauce on top of the fillet.

• Next, fold the paper over so the two ends meet, enclosing the food. Beginning at either end of the center crease, make small, overlapping diagonal folds around the filling, pleating it all around to make a semicircular airtight package that looks like a half-moon shape calzone. Seal the papillote tight. You might need to twist and fold the end tip to secure the envelope. Place the packet over a large sheet pan.
  
• Bake at 400F, top rack, between 12-20 minutes (depending on the type and thickness of the fillets) until buttery flaky. Test with a skewer; if it goes in easily, the fish is done. Let cool for 3-4 minutes before using a kitchen scissor to cut open the packet (be careful the hot steam).
• Crispy garlic: Just before the fish is finishing cooking, preheat a skillet over medium-low heat until it’s well-heated. Add 2 tbsp avocado oil, and finely sliced garlic cloves. You should see the cloves start sizzling right away but not to a burn-smoking point. Use a wooden spoon to gently move and saute the slices around in the skillet until they are pan fried to golden brown color. Be careful not to burn them as it would become bitter. Season with salt to bring out more flavor.
• Serve: Cut open the fish packet and spoon over a few teaspoons of crispy garlic with infused oil from the skillet. Serve immediately.
  

Notes

*If you can’t find lemongrass, try using 2 tsp grated ginger with half lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice. There’s no perfect substitute for lemongrass but this work around flavor combo should give an approximate flavor profile.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 136mg, Sodium: 745mg, Potassium: 557mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 240IU, Vitamin C: 6.3mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 1.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

Also check out my crispy rice paper dumplings, paleo fish tacos, Air fryer Chinese steamed cod (also cooked in paper pouch!), and Baked cod with herb lemon butter.