Nutrient-Rich Chef’s Papillote (Steamed Fish & Vegetable Parcel)
Chef Ryu Soo-young’s Special Recipe: Make French Papillote at Home
Papillote – the name might sound unfamiliar! In French, it means ‘wrapping paper.’ This dish involves enclosing fresh fish and a variety of colorful vegetables, seasoned and then sealed in parchment paper like a candy wrapper, before baking. It’s a perfect French-style ‘fridge-raid’ meal for your home! I decided to use up some leftover salmon by adding squid and shrimp. In the TV show ‘Pyeonstorang,’ Chef Ryu Soo-young demonstrated a method of steaming wrapped in parchment paper in boiling water, making it easily achievable even without an oven or air fryer. It’s an excellent dish for camping and home parties, great as a side dish, or a delightful pairing with wine or drinks. This incredibly easy recipe is perfect for beginner cooks! Let’s get started!
Main Ingredients- Fresh salmon fillet
- Crisp asparagus
- Sweet onion
- Tender potato
- Fresh zucchini
- Whole garlic cloves
- Cherry tomatoes (or Campari tomatoes)
- Chewy squid
- Plump shrimp
Seasoning & Aromatics- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Aromatic parsley (dried or fresh)
- Zesty lemon (sliced or juice)
- 10g Butter for richness
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Aromatic parsley (dried or fresh)
- Zesty lemon (sliced or juice)
- 10g Butter for richness
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your vegetables. Slice the onion into rings. Thinly slice about one potato. If you don’t have cherry tomatoes, Campari tomatoes work well. You can leave the whole garlic cloves as they are, or slice them if they are small. (Tip: The photo seems to be missing the tomatoes! Make sure to include these for a burst of freshness.)
Step 2
Pat the seafood (salmon, squid, shrimp) dry with paper towels. Having spray oil or truffle oil on hand can enhance the flavor. Prepare approximately 8 tablespoons of olive oil.
Step 3
When you unfold a sheet of parchment paper, the height from the bottom to where it naturally folds is roughly the ‘Sangsumun’ size – use this as your guide for cutting your parchment. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. Place the sliced potatoes and onions at the bottom. Sprinkle with herb salt and a mist of spray oil. Arrange the squid and shrimp amongst the vegetables, then place the salmon fillet on top. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle generously with about 7 tablespoons of olive oil. Add quick-cooking vegetables like zucchini and asparagus, along with the tomatoes. Finish with lemon slices for a bright citrus note. (Tip: If lemon is unavailable, lemon juice is a good substitute.)
Step 4
Finally, place a small piece of butter on top of the ingredients to add a final touch of richness. (Tip: The photo shows lemon dill butter, but regular butter works perfectly too.)
Step 5
Once all ingredients are inside the parchment paper, transfer the parcels to an oven-safe dish or pan. Gather the edges of the parchment paper and fold them upwards to create a sealed ‘candy wrap’ shape.
Step 6
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes. After this time, carefully open the parchment paper slightly to allow for browning and cook for another 10 minutes. If you don’t have an oven or air fryer, you can steam the parcels in a pan by adding a little water, placing the wrapped ingredients inside, covering with a lid, and steaming over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or use a double boiler method.
Step 7
Your delicious papillote is ready! For an extra touch of flavor, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese according to your preference.
Step 8
The wonderful aroma of herbs and lemon creates a truly delightful flavor. Don’t forget to include the squid and shrimp! Enjoying this with the fresh vegetables makes for an incredibly satisfying meal.
