Cooking en Papillote

Appears in
Professional Cooking
Professional Cooking

By Wayne Gisslen

Published 2014

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An unusual version of the third variation above is called cooking en papillote (on poppy-yote), or in paper. The fish item, plus flavoring ingredients and sauce, is tightly enclosed in a piece of parchment so steam cannot escape. When the paper package is heated, the item steams in its own moisture. All the juices, flavors, and aromas are held inside the paper, which is not opened until it is placed before the customer.

Sometimes a starch-thickened sauce is used in cooking fish en papillote. In this case, the fish is usually precooked (poached) so it will not exude juices that would dilute and spoil the sauce. The problem with this method is that the fish is often overcooked by the time it reaches the customer.