Tag Archives: recipes

June 7, 2013 · 7:18 am

Recipe: Homemade Finishing Butters

final shot of softened butter in bowlPoor Paula Deen. Eater National reports that “midst of a weak attempt at rebranding herself as healthy,” the Food Network star is launching a line of “finishing butters” for WalMart. The woman who made famous a donut-and-egg breakfast sandwich and then came out of the medical closet to announce she had Type 2 Diabetes now has he own line of butter. (To answer your question, yes, she’s still a spokesperson for a brand of insulin.)tub of Paula butter

Questions about Deen’s brand management team’s thinking aside, here’s what irks me about this. Her line of butters hasn’t hit shelves yet, but a supermarket source told me WalMart plans to retail them for $3.99 per 6.5 ounce tub — roughly the same price as a pound of decent butter. If you want to choose to make a local and/or organic version, you can do it for less than you’d pay for Deen’s version.

So don’t fall for a plastic tub of doctored-up butter. Save money and do it yourself. If you can let butter sit on a counter, spend two minutes chopping and stir, you can make your own and just keep a few in the freezer to dress up weeknight dinners. I often make compound butter from leftovers — herbs on the verge of going bad, leftover chopped garlic, that last bit of ginger. Just a dab transforms any dish, from meats, fish or chicken, to steamed vegetables and simple pastas.

Lest you wonder, Deen didn’t come up with this concept. Known in French as beurre composé, finishing butter has been around since at least the 1700s. They’re simply unsalted butter that has been blended with herbs and seasonings with  endless variations. Auguste Escoffier published three dozen combinations in 1903, among them his famed anchovy butter and beurre à la maître d’hotel (lemon parsley butter).

But as Matt Lauer acknowledged in Deen’s  Today spot promoting her finishing butters, the calories still count. Below I’ve included photos from a batch I made and a video from SimpleBites.com to show you the method. Note: I often make small doses of butter and just stir it by hand. Compound butters are also a great way to flavor a roasted chicken, to offer up something special to slather on warm bread and to perk up a piece of fish cooked in parchment.

Recipe: Compound Butter Master Recipe

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons of your favorite herbs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Few grinds black pepper

Let the butter sit at room temperatures until softened. Chop the herbs. Add to the butter and stir or “chop into” the butter until well-incorporated. You can use a stand mixer for this, but it’s not necessary. Place the butter on foil, plastic wrap or wax paper and roll into a long oblong shape. Think of a sushi roll. Place in the freezer for about an hour or until firm. Then slice into pieces and serve with desired dish.

butter ingredientsmixing the herbs inrolled up butter

“Hot Butter” with Red Pepper & Garlic

This works especially well to spark up roasted and steamed vegetables.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1-3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Red chili flakes or dry-roasted chili peppers crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Few grinds black pepper

Lemon and Dill Butter

A terrific topper to grilled or pan-fried fish.

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed or 2 teaspoons dried

Caramelized Shallot Butter

This one is especially nice on roasted vegetables. Steak with Herbed Butter

1 stick unsalted butter
2 large shallots, finely diced (1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat until melted. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the thyme. Cool completely. In a small bowl, combine the shallot mixture with the remaining 2-1/2 tablespoons of butter and the lemon zest. Stir to blend well. Lightly season to taste with salt and pepper. Shape into a log as above.

Cognac-Sage Butter

This one is best made with a mixer to emulsify the liquid with the butter

1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup tablespoons cognac
1 teaspoon chopped sage
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Grinds of black pepper

Bleu Cheese and Garlic Butter

This one is the bomb on grilled steaks.

1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup blue cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Grinds of black pepper

Orange Dijon Butter

This version is terrific on grilled or baked chicken

1 stick unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Grinds of black pepper

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September 21, 2012 · 11:23 am

Friday Reads: Why food still matters

If I told you Mark Bittman visited Seattle Wednesday to complain to a packed auditorium about the prevalence of UFOs in America, you’d probably think the food writer had gone batty. But Bittman wasn’t bemoaning spaceships or alien invaders. He was talking about unidentifiable food objects (that’s UFOs) such as Cheetos, Doritos and other non-foods, and the fact that the food industry peddles more of them than you can shake an organic carrot at.

Mark Bittman answers audience questions, including “What’s your favorite vegetable?” A word to the wise: Bittman doesn’t pick favorites, at least when it comes to veggies, and he’d appreciate if you’d stop asking him.

It was  great to see someone articulate what needs to be said about food in this country and fascinating to watch Bittman lay out America’s multi-faceted food issues, which involve not just big food corporations, but our government, our farmers and our environment, all of us.

His stats were sobering, though many of us probably could have guessed them. We heard about the trillions of advertising dollars that go into enticing kids to eat junk food and the reality that, in the food biz, you can get a hamburger for $1 when a salad is $4. I was reminded of how even healthful real foods like pomegranates aren’t embraced by the industry unless they’re marketed in some sexy packaging like POM Wonderful.

Despite the facts, it’s not as bleak as we might think. If you want to ensure you’re eating good food, real food, the best thing you can do is cook it yourself. People know Bittman from his simple recipes in How to Cook Everything, but after his talk, I went back to read  his ebook, Cooking Solves Everything. If you know anything about my second book, you’ll understand why I agree with the arguments he makes in that title. Studies show that, in general, people who cook weigh less and have fewer health problems. Part of that is because when you cook, rather than say go through a drive-thru, you’re more likely to eat real food with less sodium, less sugar and more fiber. We also tend to eat less of the truly unhealthy stuff such as deep-fried foods. It’s easy to order french fries in a restaurant — it’s not so simple to make them at home.

Sometimes maybe you’ll have one of those $1 hamburgers or even a UFO here and there. At the end of the day, what’s important is making the best choices as often as possible.

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August 14, 2012 · 1:12 pm

Recipe: A Tomato Dish for Julia Child

In honor of Julia Child’s 100th birthday, I’m making this delicious tomato dish tomorrow for a potluck event at the University Bookstore here in Seattle. Not only is it a great way to use up any extra tomatoes this summer, plus it’s also a crowd pleaser. People have purchased my first book based on tasting this recipe alone. Come join in the fun, try my dish and help toast my hero’s legacy.

Confit Provençal aux Tomates
Provençal tomato spread

This spread uses quintessential ingredients from the south of France. This is great served on its own with crackers or bread. I also use it to accompany seared or grilled tuna. If you can’t find nicoise olives, substitute another rich, black olive such as kalamata. Makes about 2 ½ to 3 cups.

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 red medium bell pepper, peeled, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
6 to 8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (¾ cup)
12 Nicoise olives, chopped
3/4 tablespoon capers
2 cups chopped fresh basil

In a small sauté pan, warm the oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onions, and garlic and cook until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and capers and cook gently. Remove from heat. When cool, add the basil. Add coarse salt and pepper to taste.

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January 8, 2012 · 11:11 am

Recipe: Easy Fresh Tomato Sauce

Be sure to have all the ingredients ready before starting the sauce. It’s ready more quickly than you expect. Good tasting fresh tomatoes make all the difference here; cherry tomatoes work especially well and just need to be cut in half. Makes enough sauce for about four- to six-ounces of pasta, or two servings.
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup finely chopped onions
About one-pound tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup white wine (optional)
¼ cup hot pasta water
1 tablespoon minced parsley or basil
Pinch or two hot pepper flakes
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Add oil to a sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic and onions, briefly cook until softened. Add the tomatoes, a splash of wine (optional), any other vegetables (see below) and cook for about two to three minutes until all are softened. Add in the hot pasta water and cook until reduced and the rest of the ingredients begin to break down, about another two minutes. Remove from heat, add cheese and serve over hot pasta.

Variations:
-Add in a splash of cream at the end of cooking for a more creamy texture
-A handful of additional vegetables such as zucchini, artichokes, olives, asparagus can be added to extend the sauce and offer additional flavor. Be creative!
-Cooked shrimp or chicken can be added are the tomatoes

Easy Spaghetti Sauce
Cheaper, tastier and healthier than most jars of pasta sauce, this easy version can be made in the time that it takes to make your pasta and a quick salad. As an added bonus, you can add in vegetables or other flavorings. Makes four servings

4 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup finely chopped onion , about half an onion)
1 ½ teaspoons mixed Italian herbs
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 (16-oz.) can tomato sauce (about two cups)
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 Bay leaf
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the onions and herbs in olive oil until tender. Add garlic, cook and stir for one minute. Add rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil then simmer uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings.
Variations:
- About a half-cup of green and/or black olives for a puttanesca-style sauce
-A handful of finely chopped mushrooms
-Two tablespoons of red wine added just before simmering for a “cabernet” style sauce

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December 13, 2011 · 1:02 pm

Recipe: Light Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

I don’t like cheesecake. So often, it tastes simply of cream cheese and sugar, so rather than a guilty sense of pleasure, it leaves a cloying aftertaste in its wake. But my mother requested pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving, so I reluctantly researched recipes. I got annoyed at recipes calling for up to a stick of butter or a cup of sugar to be added to a graham cracker crust. Seriously? Graham crackers already contain butter or oil and plenty of sugar. After a few trials, I used just three tablespoons of butter and added a bit of agave syrup to hold it all together.

The filling incorporates soft tofu in place of one of the cream cheese packages, a tip from vegan recipes. But most recipes call for cup of white sugar, which struck me as excessive. So I cut back on the sweet factor, opted for agave syrup and brown sugar and kicked up the spice quotient. The result? Lighter than either pumpkin pie or traditional cheesecake yet with the same holiday flavor with significantly less sugar and fat.

I try to cut back on hydrogenated oils at every turn and HoneyMaid, the leading graham cracker brand uses the dreaded partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, so if you can find them, try the ones from Back to Nature Foods. Simply smash them in a plastic bag with the bottom of a heavy saucepan or pulse in a food processor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, simply use a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves.

Crust
1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup (3 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons agave syrup, honey or maple syrup

Filling
1 16 oz. package silky or soft tofu
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (about 1 ½ cups)
¼ cup (3 tablespoons) agave syrup or honey
¼ cup (3 tablespoons) brown sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of salt
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine the cracker crumbs, butter and syrup or honey in a bowl and blend with a spoon or fingers until they’re moist. Press into the bottom of a tart pan or spring-form mold and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Let cool before adding the filling or else the heat from crust and pan will start to cook the filling; you can pop the whole pan into freezer to accelerate the cooling process. You can do this a day prior, too; just store the shell in the fridge.

Drain the tofu and crumble into a colander to drain off excess liquid. Blend the tofu, cream cheese, pumpkin puree, syrup or honey, sugar, spice and salt together in a large bowl and using a mixer or hand-held blender or food processor. Taste. If you want it sweeter or spicier, add more sugar or spice. The batter won’t look exactly smooth as the tofu will keep it a bit lumpy, so just blend it enough to get it consistency like small curd cottage cheese. Add the eggs one at a time and blend each one thoroughly into the batter. Pour the batter onto the cooled crust and bake for about 50 minutes to one hour or until the batter firms up and the edges brown slightly and start to come away from the sides of the pan. Let cool, then put into a refrigerator for at least four hours. It can be made up to two days in advance of serving.

Before serving, as a garnish, sprinkle the top with brown sugar, powdered sugar or a very light coating of nutmeg along the top. (The easiest way to do this is to put a small amount into a mesh sieve and wave over the top.) If you’re the type who likes nuts on their cheesecake, you can also garnish with candied walnuts, pecans or similar. Of course, a dab of freshly whipped cream is universally well loved.

You might also be interested in:
- Smitten Kitchen: How to make your own graham crackers
- Confections of a Foodie Bride: Pumpkin cheesecake brownies
- To Live and Eat in LA: Vegan pumpkin cheesecake
- Elena’s Pantry: Gluten-free cinammon cheesecake

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December 2, 2011 · 8:41 am

We Didn’t Miss the Turkey

I just realized that I’ve not yet provided a full report on our first vegetarian Thanksgiving. To start, the vegetable pot pie recipe from Kim O’Donnel’s great book The Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook were such a hit that Mike thinks they should become an annual tradition. My sister made her first batch of stuffing with thyme-spiked vegetable stock instead of turkey stock, then studded it with cranberries, walnuts and roasted vegetables. Honestly, it was some of the best stuffing she’s ever made.

I heart mashed potatoesFor me, the holidays are all about the mashed potatoes and gravy. My niece Sarah won’t eat mushrooms, so I gently coaxed three large sweet onion to caramelize to a mahogany color and used them in a recipe similar to this one. I didn’t have any arrowroot to thicken it, and I don’t like the flavor of cornstarch. In a moment of inspiration, I took some oatmeal and pulverize it in the coffee grinder that I set aside for herbs. Voila! Instantly thickened gravy.

I’ve started to use the caramelized shallot butter from Fine cooking that we put on the roasted brussel sprouts for everything. That stuff’s addictive.

So, now I’m contemplating Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day dinner. We’ll have carnivore friends visiting us for the holiday. I’m eyeing the chard and lentil shepard’s pie, another dish from Kim O’Donnel’s book. I can always make a traditional one with beef. That should satisfy everyone, right?

Onion Herb Gravy
The stock determines whether this is vegetarian and the final flavor; traditional English gravies use beef stock. Use oil in place of butter along with vegetable stock to make it vegan-friendly. The onions can be caramelized a couple of days in advance; caramlized onions can also be frozen and make a great addition to virtually any savory dish.

If using a thin vegetable stock, the resulting gravy may need a boost to hit your desired thickness. Add a bit of any traditional thickener, such as arrowroot, potato starch, Wondra, tapioca or cornstarch or try my handy trick of whizzing some oatmeal in a coffee grinder. Be careful and add only a teaspoon at a time and whisk well to avoid creating lumps.

2 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
3 cups stock (vegetable, mushroom, poultry or beef)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Coarse salt, black pepper

Thinly slice the onions. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the onions and bay leaf. Stirring regularly, saute the onions for about 10 minutes, adding splashes of water as needed to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir from time to time until the onions are a deep brown color, about 35 minutes.

When ready to make the gravy, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Make a roux by adding the flour and whisk to incorporate and lightly cook the flour until it smells like popcorn. Add the stock and bring to gentle boil while whisking. Add the onions, bay leaf, thyme, a couple pinches of salt and a few grinds of coarse pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Spoon off any foam or fat that rises to the surface. Taste. Add more salt and pepper until it reaches the flavor you want. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

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September 16, 2011 · 12:35 pm

Friday recipe: Carrot and rosemary soup

Call this a recipe of serendipity. I developed this recipe last year when writing the new book. I was working hard to use every single item in my refrigerator to avoid wasting food when I found myself staring at a two-pound bag of organic carrots. At the same time, Mike had trimmed the ancient rosemary bush that sometimes invades our driveway. I don’t think I would have thought to pair the two things together, but I’m a fan of savory and sweet so I gave it a try. Now it’s a household.

One thing that I discuss in the new book is the importance of learning to make soup. Vegetable-based soups are cheap, an easy way to use up leftovers and when pureed, often a way to get vegetables into kids who won’t eat them in their usual form. Case in point: our friend’s daughter refuses to eat raw carrots, but she’ll slurp down a gallon of carrot soup. This method can be used with other unappreciated vegetables in your crisper.

This savory and sweet soup can be served at any temperature, but it’s excellent chilled. Immersion or “stick” blenders are great for soup because you can plunge them directly into the pot. Hot soup can create a vacuum in conventional blenders, so if you use one, let the soup chill slightly first, and then take the cap off and cover with a towel. Running soups through a food mill is a low-tech option. If you have none of the above, simply mash the softened vegetables with a fork or potato masher; it will lend a rustic feel to the finished product. Add the rosemary, branch and all, but be sure to remove it before pureeing unless you’re looking for, um, well some unexpected fiber in your dish.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1½ cups)
2 leeks (white and light green parts), chopped
1 pound carrots, diced
Several fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
⅓ cup quality plain yogurt (optional)
Croutons (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart or larger saucepan. Add the onion and leeks and sauté until softened. Add the carrots, rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, stock, a couple of pinches of coarse salt, a few grinds of coarse pepper, and a pinch of cayenne if using. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to simmer until the carrots soften, about 1 hour,.

Remove from the heat. Discard the rosemary and the bay leaf. Puree until smooth. Add in additional water if necessary. Return to the pot. Check the seasonings, adding salt, black pepper, and cayenne to taste. Serve warm or cooled. Garnish with a scoop of greek yogurt or croutons if desired.

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August 8, 2011 · 12:08 pm

Recipe: Onion Soup Gratinéed W/Cheese

In a recipe with few ingredients such as this one, it’s essential that all must be of the best possible quality. For best results give the onions a careful, slow cooking to properly caramelize, and then simmer them in a broth that itself is rich with flavor. Be sure to use bowls that can stand up under a broiler or the whole exercise may end in tears.

2 medium (1 pound) yellow onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 tablespoon cognac
2 quarts (2 L) beef stock, boiled
¼ French baguette, sliced thin
6 ounces (180 g) gruyere cheese, grated
1 ounce (30 g) Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F/ 180° C degrees. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, slowly brown the onions in butter until carmelized. Be patient, this will take at least a half hour. Sprinkle the onions with flour and stir thoroughly. Add the wine and Cognac, cook long enough to evaporate the alcohol and add the hot stock and bouquet garni. Simmer for one hour, uncovered.

Meanwhile, toast the baguette slices. Just before serving, top one side of the bread slices with cheese and broil lightly until cheese slightly melts. Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into four broiler-safe bowls, such as heavy crockware. Put the toasts into the soup, cheese side down. Top with a layer of Gruyere, and then a bit of Parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F / 180° C and then put under a broiler for a couple of minutes until the cheese bubbles and browns. Serves four.

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· 11:54 am

Recipe: Golden Onion Quiche


Quiche is like pizza – it can be made with almost anything. This version uses the onions and tomatoes from the Pissaldière, but try asparagus, ham, artichokes, whatever. The onions will seem an insurmountable pile, but they reduce drastically. If good tomatoes aren’t available or time is short, use soft sun-dried tomatoes. Prepared pie crust dough may be used or make your own pâte brisée from the “Extra Recipes” in the back of the book. Quiche may be served hot, warm or chilled, and reheats well in a low oven.

Prepared pie dough or pâte brisée
Roasted tomato petals
6 to 8 tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
4 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Caramelized onions
3 large onions (about two pounds), sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon flour

Quiche filling
3 large eggs
¾ cup (175 ml) heavy cream
Coarse salt, ground pepper
½ teaspoon fresh thyme
3 ounces (90 grams) Gruyère cheese, grated

Preheat oven to a low heat, 250°F /120°C. Slice an ‘x’on the bottom of each tomato. Drop into boiling water for a few seconds, then plunge into a bowl of ice water. Tear the flaps on the “x” to remove skin. Cut out the core and then quarter and remove the seeds. Line slivers on parchment atop a baking sheet. Drizzle on the oil and add garlic, thyme and salt. Gently bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until they are tender.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onions and bay leaf. Cook and stir patiently until they’re brown and soft, about a half hour. Once browned, sprinkle with flour and a dash of salt and cook another 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove the tomato petals from the sheet, let cool.

Increase oven to 425° F / 220°C. Roll out the dough, press it into a quiche or pie pan. Pierce the bottom with a fork. To keep its shape, set parchment or aluminum foil in the center and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove weights, brush the pastry with beaten egg and return to oven for 7 minutes. Cool slightly.

Whisk the eggs and cream in a bowl. Stir in about one-third of the cheese, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir in the cooled onions and then pour into the pastry shell. Arrange tomatoes in decorative pattern on top. Sprinkle on remaining Gruyère. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until firm, slightly browned and a bit puffy. Makes one quiche, or six to eight slices.

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July 29, 2011 · 6:11 am

Fish en papillote

Cooking en papillote (French for “parchment”) is a wildly overlooked method of cooking in America. It’s an easy method for a quick weeknight dinner that’s also elegant enough for guests. The smell that escapes when the package is reason enough to try it. This works well for salmon and mild-flavored white fish such as snapper, cod and so on. The best part? No dishes. Just throw the paper away. To assure thorough cooking, fish fillets or chicken breast slices less than a half-inch thick. This works best in parchment paper, but you can also use aluminum foil. Choose ingredients to get a flavor you like. For instance, to get an Asian flavor, use sesame in place of olive oil, add lime, cilantro and ginger to the package, and possibly finely sliced water chestnuts.

You’ll need 2 (10 x 12) inch pieces of parchment. I prefer to use the unbleached variety on the roll; it’s available at most supermarkets for less than $3. You can use foil, but don’t use too much vinegar or wine as it may react with the aluminum. Don’t use wax paper; it will become gummy and sort of “melt,” and frankly, no one wants wax with their chicken. Serves two.

Ingredients
2 (4 oz.) piece of fish or thinly sliced chicken breast
4 teaspoons olive oil
Few sprigs of fresh herbs (dill, basil, thyme, rosemary) or a ½ teaspoon dried
1/4 cup of white wine (or water)
Few thin lemon slices
Pinch of cayenne

Garnish (optional): About ½ cup of vegetable for flavor and garnish: shallots, onion, garlic, zucchini, carrot, broccoli, fennel, mushrooms, etc. each finely chopped or sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 Celsius. Fold each sheet in half.On one half of each paper heart, drizzle half the olive oil (two teaspoons per sheet) and add generous pinches of of coarse salt and pepper. Add the fish and turn over to coat. Place herbs, lemon and vegetables on top of the fish and drizzle some wine over each. Crimp the edges of the parchment or foil and shut carefully to avoid allowing any liquid or steam to escape from the package during cooking. Place the packages on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Allow to sit at least one minute, and then open carefully.

Other good papillote recipes:
-Food 52: Shrimp and roasted tomato fettucine
-French Cooking for Dummies: Whole trout in foil
-Sophistimom: Chicken in paper

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