Dazzle your dinner guests with this Mediterranean salmon baked in parchment.
Sunday is our market day in Los Angeles, and the inspiration for this Mediterranean salmon baked in parchment recipe. Strolling to the farmers market on Sundays is my incentive to wake up a littler earlier in anticipation of what the week’s harvest will bring. Right now, summer is swinging into high gear and all the farmers tents are stocked with plenty of squash, heirloom tomatoes, stone fruits, and eggplants are just beginning to arrive. It’s my favorite time of year with so much available.
Additionally, we’re lucky to have a spectacular fish monger there every week. I love visiting West Coast Seafood to pick up something fresh and delicious to have for dinner on Sunday nights. It can range from black cod, to sea trout, to king salmon, whole branzino, and barbounia.
En papillote is easier than you think
I’m using this Sunday inspiration for this classic en papillote recipe. And if that sounds fancy, it’s really not. It just means cooked in a paper wrapper. I’m using unbleached parchment paper for the wrapping. And I’m making a relish/sauce with classic Greek ingredients like tomatoes, capers, olives, fennel, lemon, and garlic. Cooking everything together in the packet lets all those beautiful flavors combine into a flavorful cohesive dish. It’s a recipe that I love making my Los Angeles personal chef clients, either for weekly meal prep, or more formal dinner party catering.
Variations on the recipe
For this recipe, I’m using salmon since it’s easy to find pretty much anywhere. Additionally, the recipe will work with many different kinds of fish. Try it with halibut, sea trout, Arctic char, and even sea bass. In Opa! The Healthy Greek Cookbook, I have a similar recipe using halibut. Just adjust your cooking time for how thick your fish fillets are.
*** Recipe note: I’ve updated the cooking time and temperature since making the cooking video. Either will work, but I’ve found better results cooking the salmon at 425F for 14 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4, 6 to 8 ounce salmon filets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lemons
- 1/2 pound tomatoes, chopped (or cherry tomatoes cut in half)
- 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers or caper berries, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced thin, fronds reserved for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º. Blot salmon filets with a paper towel to remove moisture.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together juice of two lemons, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Marinate the fish in it for about 10 minutes.
- Combine the tomatoes, scallions, olives, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and capers in to a relish. Set aside.
- Make your parchment packet: Fold a sheet of parchment paper in half and cut a half heart-like shape.
- Unfold. Place fennel in a single layer on the bottom, fish in the middle, and tomato relish around and on top of the fish filet. Spoon over marinade for a sauce.
- Fold parchment over fish and fold over the edges to seal. Bake for about 14 minutes, depending on how thick your filet is.
- Open and serve.
- For more elegant plating, remove from packet and drizzle sauce over salmon.
Notes
*** Recipe note: I've updated the cooking time and temperature since making the cooking video. Either will work, but I've found better results cooking the salmon at 425F for 14 minutes.
Garnish with reserved fennel fronds, and thin slices of lemon.
Nutrition Facts
Mediterranean Salmon Baked In Parchment (En Papillote)
Serves: 4 servings
|
Amount Per Serving: 1 piece
|
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|---|---|---|
| Calories | 174.19 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 12.68 g | 18.5% | |
| Saturated Fat 2.11 g | 10% | |
| Trans Fat 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol 15.59 mg | 5% | |
| Sodium 427.25 mg | 17.8% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 10.08 g | 3.3% | |
| Dietary Fiber 3.55 g | 12% | |
| Sugars 3.69 g | ||
| Protein 7.56 g | ||
| Vitamin A 5.34 % | Vitamin C 34.24 % | |
| Calcium 6.09 % | Iron 8.6 % | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Sweet Greek Personal Chef and Culinary Services Los Angeles, CA
I made this recipe last night and was absolutely blown away by the zinginess! I left some out for someone who wouldn’t be home until after I’d gone to bed and they left me a note (!) to say it was one of the nicest things they’d EVER eaten. Thanks!
So happy you liked it!