Everyday Gourmet

There is a fancy way of cooking called "en papillote", but it's actually not fancy at all. It is the most ridiculously easy way to cook if you ask me. I picked up this recipe card at Central Market, and I have made it many times. It's easy enough for a weekday - basically it's a meal all in one parchment packet - but impressive enough for company. There are NO dishes to clean. Just throw away the parchment paper and you don't even have to clean the baking sheet! You've got everything you could want in a perfect packet - fish, veggies, a bit of salty meat, and a garlic butter sauce to finish it off. Plate it on a bed of quick-cooking rice or cous-cous, and dinner is served.

Lemon Halibut in Parchment with Asparagus & Prosciutto (from Central Market)
Serves 2

1 lb. halibut fillet, cut in half
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 bunch asparagus
6 thin slices prosciutto
8 roasted marinated or sun-dried tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a cutting board, use a knife to combine the garlic and salt into a paste. Heat butter and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic paste and saute until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and zest. Stir over heat to combine.
2. Put asparagus in a heavy-duty plastic bag with 1 cup water. Seal bag, leaving a 1-inch opening. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes to partially steam the asparagus before placing it in the packets.
3. Tear off two 12-inch pieces of parchment paper. Place one piece of halibut in the middle of a piece. Spread some garlic mixture on the fish. Top fish with half of the asparagus and more of the garlic mixture.
4. Arrange half of the tomatoes on top of the asparagus.

5. Drape half of the prosciutto on top.

6. Make an air-tight pouch with the parchment. I like to fold the top first, pleating to make a seal like you would fold down the top of a bag of coffee or chips. Then, I just tuck the sides under the fish. Repeat the process with your second piece of fish and place both packets on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.7. To serve, carefully open packets while still on baking sheet in case any sauce spills out. Remove fish and veggies to a bed of rice. Then pour all remaining sauce from packet on top of the fish. It will soak into the rice and be delicious!!