Baked Fish Parcels
Oven-baked, healthy and delicious with minimal clean up. Does it get better?
Our favourite way to cook fish is wrapped in baking paper parcels, because it simply couldn’t be easier to both prepare, cook and clean up.
Officially, this technique is called “en papillote”, where the food can steam in a parcel. It’s a perfect technique to use for seafood as it keeps the fish from drying out, and baking paper or aluminium foil are pantry staples that can be used to wrap the parcel.
While it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner because it’s less messy than busting out a pan to fry fish, you can even prepare this ahead for dinner parties by wrapping your fish parcels, keeping them in the fridge, and then baking when you need so guests can experience a warm meal. For a moment of pizazz at the dinner table, you can even serve the parcel on a plate for people to unwrap!
What fish can I use?
We used salmon here we picked up from our Fishmonger, but using any fillet of fish that is firm and at least a few centimetres thick will suit so it can steam through – think barramundi, mulloway, cod, trout, snapper, or halibut.
Thinner cuts of fish, like whiting or garfish would work with a quicker cooking time.
Ingredients
2 Pieces of Fish Fillets
1 Citrus fruit, sliced*
The Salty Greek Signature or Mild Chilli Blend
Olive Oil or Herb Butter
Recipe Steps
Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
Cut a large rectangle sized piece of alfoil or baking paper that is large enough to fit the fish with extra rom to fold the edges over the fish.
Tip: You can use both if you want it to be easier to fold together. Lay alfoil first then baking paper, as the alfoil is easier to squash together to seal. This is handy if you find folding difficult.
Place slices of citrus on the baking paper.
Tip: If you’re a citrus super-fan, before cooking, cut the rind off. That way, when you serve it, you can cut slices of fish with slices of citrus to eat in one tangy mouthful.
Place your piece of fish on top of the bed of sliced citrus and season well with The Salty Greek.
Tip: We like to use our spice grinder as it gives a finer texture which coats the fish more evenly.
Top with more slices of citrus. Drizzle with olive oil or add a dab of herb butter.
Fold the alfoil/baking paper over the salmon and crinkle to seal tightly, covering both edges like you’re wrapping a present.
Bake in the pre-heated oven to cook for about 15 minutes.
Tip: If you’re unsure about cooking fish, it’s okay to take it out at 10 minutes, open quickly and cut a small piece to check how cooked it is. Remember, the steam in the parcel will cook it a little more after it comes out of the oven. As you become more experience with cooking fish, you’ll learn the cooking times for different cuts better, but it’s always fine to err on the side of caution! Luckily, it’s a more forgiving cooking technique than pan-frying or baking without a parcel.
Let the fish rest for a few minutes in the parcel, then serve with your favourite sides, like the salads on our Recipes page.
*Try using seasonal citrus varieties to ensure it’s fresh and flavourful, and mixing citrus fruits together for a unique depth of flavour. While lemon and lime are classics, it’s wonderful to try slices of orange, blood orange, grapefruit, or even slices of mandarin (try crushing them a little to let the juices out easier). If you can find Australian native finger limes, even better!
Is there any better combination than seafood, herbs and citrus?!
More Recipe Ideas