I love baking fish in papillote and have been for many years. It is simple, flavorful and fast. You can substitute any fish here. Tilapia and sea bass also works well.
- 2 sheets 12-inch-wide heavy-duty foil or parchment paper (each about 15 inches long)
- two salmon fillets
- green beans (optional)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- capers to taste (1 tsp each packet)
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 6 very thin lemon slices (about 1/16 inch thick)
Preheat oven to 500°F. and heat a baking sheet in lower third of oven 5 minutes. Fold each sheet of foil in half crosswise to crease, and then unfold. On a plate coat fillets with oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt to taste. On each sheet of foil put 1 fillet to one side of crease and sprinkle with 2 teaspoon lemon juice, capers, beans, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and half of any oil remaining on plate. Top each fillet with 3 lemon slices.
Working with 1 foil package ( papillote) at a time, fold left half of foil over fillet. Starting at 1 corner of crease, fold edge of foil over in triangles, following a semicircular oath around fillet (each fold should overlap previous one), smoothing out folds as you go and tucking last ford under, until papillote is completely sealed. Put papillotes on hot baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 5 minutes.
