parchment paper is one of my favorite cooking supplies to use and it’s particularly perfect in these hotter summer months. I use unbleached brown parchment paper to act as a “parcel” to hold fish, aromatics and vegetables. “En Papillote” is a French technique that literally means, “in a packet or parcel.” The parcel will steam in your oven yielding a simple, healthy and mess-free dinner. this pesto primavera halibut en papillote is the perfect summer dinner!
the inspiration:
my mom and I have always been ina garten fans and this was a concept she had in her cookbooks and on her cooking shows when I was growing up. in fact, it was an occasional request from my mother on her birthday because she loves fish. for my interpretation, I decided to do a play on pasta primavera with tons of julienned fresh vegetables and paired them with pesto and white, flaky halibut. the results were simple and oh so flavorful. once you get the wrapping of the parchment down, it’s a fool-proof dish.
pesto primavera halibut ingredients:
- wild-caught halibut: the star of the show. you could also used a firm white fleshed fish such as cod. I use the frozen wild-caught alaskan halibut from Costco.
- julienned vegetables: I chose shredded carrots, fresh zucchini and red bell pepper.
- olive oil, salt and pepper, granulated garlic: season the dish.
- fresh lemon: a match made in heaven paired with fish.
- parchment paper: you can buy pre-measured sheets, cut your own or even buy pre-folded parchment paper packets.
- store-bought or homemade pesto- I like this brand and this brand because they are made with olive oil instead of seed oils.
- castelvetrano olives: the warm marinated olives are a dream come true in the fish packets.
- fresh basil: garnishes the dish and adds a burst of freshness.
how to make:
set up your work station with all of the components you will need prepped and ready. you will dry the fish filets well then season them on the bottom half of the parchment paper sheet. next, add the pesto, veggies, olives and more seasonings then carefully wrap up your parcels by folding along the edges. transfer packets to a sheet pan and add to a preheated oven. 10-12 minutes later- dinner is ready! I like to finish fish packets by cutting the tops open with scissors and garnishing with a large drizzle of good olive oil, fresh basil leaves and a wedge of lemon.
meal planning ideas:
here are some meal planning ideas for the pesto primavera halibut en papillote recipe:
- weeknight dinner: serve halibut alongside bone broth steamed rice.
- couples dinner party: serve halibut alongside roasted fingerling potatoes with aioli and grilled asparagus.
- sunday supper: serve halibut alongside roasted root vegetables with a simply-dressed arugula salad.
Pesto Primavera Halibut en Papillote
Ingredients
- four 12.5 in. x 16 in parchment paper sheets
- four 5-6 ounce halibut filets
- 4 Tablespoons fresh or store-bought pesto
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 cup zucchini sliced in matchsticks
- 1 cup red bell julienned
- 12 castelvetrano olives
- four lemon wedges to garnish
- Drizzle of good olive oil to garnish
- fresh basil leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare your work station with a parchment-lined baking sheet, your cut vegetables, pesto and seasonings in a line. Dry the halibut filets well and season both sides with salt, pepper and granulated garlic.
- Working one at a time, fold the first parchment paper sheet down the middle to designate two halves.
- Place each halibut filet on the bottom half of a parchment piece. Spoon 1 tablespoon of pesto atop each filet, followed by several of each julienned vegetable. Sprinkle veggies with more salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Top with 4 olives.
- Delicately fold the top half of the parchment paper over the fish and veggies and go around to fold and secure each piece of parchment around the fish and veggies creating a secure parcel, and tucking last und underneath to secure.
- Place the parchment parcels on the baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked and flakes easily.
- To serve, add each parchment parcel to a plate alongside roasted vegetables and a lemon wedge. Cut the tops open with scissors and finish fish with a drizzling of good olive oil and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.
