Fish en Papillote (Fish in Parchment Paper)
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 is Whole30, Keto, AIP, and gluten-free. Perfect no-prep meal for seafood lovers!
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 is Whole30, Keto, AIP, and gluten-free. Perfect no-prep meal for seafood lovers!
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- â¾ lbs white fish fillet such as sea bass (halibut or cod (boneless and skinless))
- 1-2 bulbs chopped scallions
- 1 lemongrass stalk*
- 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)
- 6 large garlic cloves (sliced finely lengthways)
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 17.3750000014473 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 2.08442000019985 g
- Serving Size 1 1 people (22g)
- Sodium 1744.17750000003 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0.707395000039194 g
- Calories 154 calories
Step-by-step
- 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.
- 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.
Unlike a traditional foil packet baked on the grill, cooking fish en papillote relies entirely on a sealed parchment paper envelope that traps moisture while allowing delicate proteins to steam gently in their own aromatics. The primary obstacle in this method is maintaining an airtight seal, because any escaping steam alters the internal pressure and ruins the simultaneous baking and steaming process required to yield a flaky, tender fillet without drying out the edges. If the parchment package is inadequately pleated around the edges, steam leaks out prematurely, leaving the fish partially raw while the exterior dries completely from direct oven heat.
To guarantee success, pound the tough white lemongrass bulb with a heavy object to break down its fibrous structure before mincing it finely, which releases the essential oils required to season the fish adequately during the twelve to twenty minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Achieving the right texture depends on monitoring the thickness of your white fish fillets and testing them with a metal skewer that should slide through the center without any resistance. Overcooking destroys the natural moisture barrier of lean varieties like cod or sea bass, turning the flesh chalky and dense, whereas proper timing yields a buttery finish that flakes cleanly apart under light pressure.
Variations in aromatics are easily accommodated by swapping red Fresno chilis for standard serrano peppers or adjusting the quantity of finely sliced garlic based on personal preference. When preparing the crispy garlic garnish, maintain a medium-low heat setting in your skillet to prevent the thinly sliced cloves from burning and turning bitter before the oil can properly infuse.
