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ASIAN-STYLE FISH PARCELS

Cooking fish in parcels (or “en papillote”) is such a delicate way to cook fish; it’s healthy, too. All the flavors are trapped inside the bag, so as you open it you’re treated to a tempting aroma.

Serves 4

Special equipment
Parchment-lined foil (see box)

4 scallions

1 small carrot

4 small bok choy, each 212–3 oz (75–85 g)

4 pieces skinned cod loin or fillet, each about 7 oz (200 g)

2 tsp sesame oil, for brushing

4 tsp dark soy sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 fresh, mild red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise

1 tbsp rice wine

2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

12 tsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC). Trim and thinly slice the scallions, slice the carrot into matchsticks, and cut the bok choy into quarters (see Slice the vegetables uniformly). Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Set aside.

2. To make the parcels, cut four 12in (30cm) squares of parchment-lined foil. Lay them foil-side down and brush a little of the sesame oil in the middle of each square.

3. In the center of each square, lay 4 bok choy quarters, scatter one-quarter of the carrot sticks on top, pour 12 teaspoon of soy sauce over the vegetables, and place a fish fillet on top. Brush the fish with a little more of the sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the scallions and chilli on top. (See Make tightly sealed parcels, step 1.)

4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 teaspoons of soy sauce with the rice wine, ginger, garlic, sugar, and 2 teaspoons of cold water. Spoon over the fish. Bring the parchment-lined foil up over each fish portion, fold over, and seal very tightly. (See Make tightly sealed parcels, steps 2–4.)

5. Lay the parcels on a baking tray, with the folded ends facing up, and bake for 12–15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).

6. Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds: heat a small, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Pour in the sesame seeds and dry-fry for a few minutes, moving the seeds around in the pan so they don’t burn, until they are toasted to a golden brown color. Tip the seeds out of the pan and set aside.

7. Open up one of the parcels to test if the fish and vegetables are cooked. Do so carefully, as the contents will be very hot. When the fish is done it will look opaque and feel firm but tender. If you insert the tip of a small, sharp knife into one of the carrot sticks it will feel tender. When the fish and vegetables are cooked, remove all the parcels from the oven and let stand, unopened, for 5 minutes before serving.

8. Serve the fish, vegetables, and juices from the parcels on plates and sprinkle each portion with toasted sesame seeds. Alternatively, put the unopened parcels on plates and place the sesame seeds in a bowl so that diners can unwrap the parcels and help themselves.

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ASIAN-STYLE FISH PARCELS

KEYS TO PERFECTION

Slice the vegetables uniformly

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1 Using a sharp knife, trim the ends from the scallions and slice the onions thinly on the diagonal. Sliced this way, they cook quickly and absorb other flavors easily.

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2 Slice the carrot into uniform matchsticks. This will help them to cook evenly with the bok choy, scallions, and fish. To make matchsticks, cut the carrot lengthwise into 4 slices, then cut each slice in half widthwise. Slice again, lengthwise, into sticks no more than 14in (5mm) wide.

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3 Select small bok choy and cut them uniformly to ensure even cooking. Using a sharp chef’s knife, trim the root ends of the bok choy very slightly to neaten, but make sure you don’t cut too far in or the leaves will start to separate. Cut each bok choy lengthwise into quarters to give you 16 similar-sized pieces.

About parchment-lined foil

This useful product is perfect for this recipe. Being double-sided, it combines the properties of both foil and baking parchment in one. The parchment protects the food and holds its shape better than foil alone, while the foil insulates the contents and promotes even cooking. It is strong enough not to tear and flexible, too, so it is easy to fold over tightly and seal. If you can’t find it, a layer of foil on a layer of ordinary baking parchment will work well—it’s just a little fussier.

Make tightly sealed parcels

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1 Wrapping and sealing the parcels tightly and securely will enclose all the flavors and aromas and keep the steam trapped inside, so it can cook the fish and vegetables efficiently. Lay the vegetables and fish in the middle of the parchment-lined foil square. There should be plenty of paper all around to bring up to create a parcel.

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2 Carefully spoon the soy sauce and other flavorings over the fish and vegetables, distributing it evenly. This will create steam inside the parcel, which will gently cook the fish, making it very moist and tender. You don’t need much liquid, as the fish and vegetables will release some of their own juices, too.

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3 For each parcel, bring up the 2 long sides of the parchment-lined foil to meet in the middle over the fish. Using both hands, hold the 2 edges firmly together, and fold them over tightly 2 or 3 times to secure. Press the central fold down onto the fish to seal.

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4 To seal the ends of the parcel, fold in the corners of one end to almost meet in the middle and make 2 triangles, as if you were wrapping a present. Fold over the end 2 or 3 times to secure tightly. Repeat at the other end so that the parcel is completely sealed.