We love this en Papillote fish cooking method! It’s simple – the method is wrapping fish in parchment to create a pouch to steam it in. The addition of a delicious wine and fresh citrus is phenomenal. We chose to finish this dish with a quality castelvetrano olive spread. Serve with easy roast potatoes and of course, we recommend enjoying with the paired bottle of white wine you used to cook with.
Ingredients
- 2.5 – 3 lb, or 6 large cuts, of 1 – 1 1/2″ thick swordfish steaks
- 1/2 cup butter, sliced
- 3 lemons
- 1 bottle white wine, similar to Sauvignon Blanc in terms of dryness
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- 3-4 blood oranges
- 3-4 cara cara or navel oranges
- 6 sprigs of fresh tarragon
- 1 jar castelvetrano green olives, lightly smashed open with a fork
- 1 bunch fresh basil, few leaves torn
- 1 jar Asaro organic castelvetrano olive spread
- 1/3 cup Zupan’s Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for finishing
- Flaky sea salt
- 2 bags frozen potato wedges
Preparation
1. Begin by preparing your citrus. Slice off both ends of oranges, exposing the flesh beneath the pith, then stand an orange upright on a cut side. Following the natural curve of orange, slice away peel and white pith from top to bottom. Trim off any remaining bits of pith, then lay orange on its side and cut crosswise into ¼”-thick rounds. Set aside for serving.
2. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.
3. Lay out 6 pieces of fish on parchment paper. Season well with salt and pepper on each side. Set aside.
4. Cut out 6 large squares of parchment paper – about 13-inches by 15-inches each. Place a filet of swordfish on one half of each piece of paper. Top each filet with 1-2 lemon slices, and a couple tarragon sprigs. Brush the outer rim of the parchment squares with the beaten egg white. Top each piece of fish with 1-2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of white wine on each piece of fish, being careful not to let it run off the center area.
5. Prepare for the oven by folding one half of the paper over onto the other half and press together. Make a series of straight folds on the outer rim of the squares to seal the edge together.
6. Place all your fish packages into a deep cast iron type pan, nestled in and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until flakey with a fork. Be careful not to overcook. The package should be puffed up and slightly browned when fully cooked. The fish should feel firm to the touch (you can often, carefully, press on the fish through the paper). The internal temperature of the swordfish should register an internal temperature of 130°F.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the roasted potatoes according to package instructions. You can add your seasoning of choice; we love some aleppo chili flakes with salt and olive oil if you’d like to spice things up.
8. In a small bowl, add 1 jar olive spread and olive oil. Stir until smooth.
9. When your potatoes and fish are done, begin plating. On one plate, place one parchment wrap. Next to it, a big spoonful of roasted potatoes. Right before serving, quickly open the parchment. Remove the cooked lemons and tarragon and place a small spoonful of olive spread mixture on top. Then, nestle 3 orange rounds and finish with a sprig of basil. Top with a few crushed olives. Drizzle with olive oil and finish with a bit of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
