Cod, coriander, tomato & garlic parcels recipe
At home I do a lot of fish en papillotte because it is quick, easy and full of flavour – a good everyday option. ‘en papillotte’ simply means ‘cooked in parcels’, so all the flavour and goodness are locked inside. When you open up the parcel, you release a rush of aromas that take you on a journey without ever leaving your kitchen. You can make so many variations of this dish: ginger and lemongrass, chilli and coriander, lemon and basil, or lime and parsley. Experiment – you won’t be disappointed.
Chef’s tip
If sustainable cod is not available, replace with pollack fillets.
Ingredients
- 4 Pieces skinless, boneless cod fillet, about 150g each
- 4 Garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 Large tomatoes, sliced
- 1 Small handful of coriander, leaves only, chopped
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper
Details
- Cuisine: French
- Recipe Type: Main
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Pat the fish dry with kitchen towel, season with slat and set aside.
- Blanch the garlic in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then refresh in cold water and pat dry. That way it will cook in the same time as the fish once it is en papillotte.
- Put four 46 x 25cm/18 x 10in rectangles of greaseproof paper on your work surface and drizzle them with half the olive oil.
- Next, you need to arrange the ingredients on one half of the paper, so that you will be able to fold the other half over them afterwards. Start with a few slices of tomato on each piece of paper and divide half the coriander over them, then season with salt and pepper.
- Put the pieces of cod fillet on top of the tomatoes, then add the blanched garlic and the rest of the coriander and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Fold the paper over the filling and then fold along the edges to seal securely.
- Make sure the parcels are well sealed so that none of the liquid is lost. Put the parcels on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 2 minutes before opening.
- Now comes the rush of aromas - open each parcel, taking care not to lose any of the juices, and serve with coriander-scented rice. Squeeze the tender garlic out of its skin for an extra delicious flavour.
- Serve with steamed or boiled rice mixed with a handful of chopped coriander leaves.
Also worth your attention:
More recipes from Daniel Galmiche
Daniel Galmiche: A fresh take on French home cooking
Extracted from French Brasserie Cookbook by Daniel Galmiche. ©
Commissioned Photography by Yuki Sugiura / Duncan Baird Publisher