These two baked fish recipes from France are perfect solutions for anyone who wants to cook fish without smelling up the house. They go together in a couple of minutes, and cook quickly, leaving you just enough time to prepare rice or potatoes as an accompaniment. Your fish dinner is ready to eat in 30 minutes and the next day no one knows you had fish the night before.
You can use any filet of fish you wish to prepare these baked fish recipes. Definitely start with fresh fish however, and not frozen. Frozen fish tends to be watery and is best used in soups and sauces.
Ready to start? Recipe number one calls for rolling the fish and recipe number two for baking it in parchment paper (what the French call en papillote). Both of these touches add elegance without you having to do a lot of fussing.
Rolled Baked Fish Recipe
Poisson au Four
- 2 pounds thin fish filets (sole for example)
- salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- two shallots
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried herbs
Butter a baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and sprinkle with half of the shallots.
Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, then roll up each filet. Arrange them seam-side down in the baking dish.
Sprinkle with remaining shallots, bread crumbs and herbs, then pour wine and cream on top. Melt the other two tablespoons of butter and drizzle on top.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves 6.
Poisson en Papillote
- 4 fish filets, totalling about 1 pound
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 small zucchini
- 1 lemon
- 1 bunch of chives
- salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut four pieces of aluminum foil, about 15 inches long each one.
Wash the zucchini and cut it in thin slices.
Chop the chives finely and put them in a small bowl. Squeeze the lemon, adding the juice to the chives. Mix in the heavy cream.
Place each filet on top of its piece of aluminum foil. Salt and pepper the fish lightly. Place the zucchini on top of the fish, evenly dividing it amongst the four pieces. Pour several tablespoons of the cream mixture on top of each filet.
Wrap up each filet in its aluminum foil. You can roll the top edges to make sure everything is secure, but be careful not to tear the aluminum foil.
Place the four packages in an oven proof dish and place the dish in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes.
Serves 4.
Source by Kim Steele