An Easy Meal

Sometimes I like to have an easy meal, quick and simple. Fish is something I prepare simply and paired with leftovers and/or basic sides supper is on the table without much effort. I was so excited the first week Pickett's trout was at the Main St. Farmer's Market and have purchased it several times. Today I pulled it from the freezer, having saved it from last week. I grabbed some frozen cauliflower, too, as I had not quite purchased enough veggies at the last market to make it a whole week. That plus some leftover sweet potatoes and rice with sprinkles of fresh herbs (at least some from MSFM seedlings from various vendors) was a satisfying meal. Tonight I asked Zachary for his professional touch with the photos and he sweetly took them all for me. 

For fish I prefer Martha Stewart's recipe for fish en papillote: fish in parchment paper. It has proved to be foolproof for me - even on vacation recently with a wacky oven to work with, despite being overcooked, the fish melted in our mouths (the one fillet whose paper unsealed got rubbery). The original recipe I work from is called parchment bluefish but every kind of fillet I have used has worked so far. First I cut some herbs: one to two stems of each kind I wanted to use per fillet, plus some more herbs for the veggies and rice: 

Left to right: common thyme, parsley, chives, lemon thyme, garlic chives, oregano, and mint.

I made circles of parchment per Martha's advice, a little less than her recommended 14-16" (Martha must not have used Costco parchment, if there was such a thing in 1988; it's not wide enough.):

  
Plenty of times I am lazy and just use rectangles but the circles are really easier to fold and make a good seal. 

I seasoned both sides of the two fillets I had (I never use enough salt, salt them well!). Then I chopped up a few sprigs each of lemon thyme, parsley, chives, garlic chives and oregano (the other herbs went on the veggies and rice). I sprinkled them on the fillets and added a pat of butter to each:

Then I folded them up, beginning in the middle, and crimped them well. They need to be sealed well to hold in the moisture: 

I baked in a preheated 450° oven for 10 minutes. Yes, only 10 minutes. Quick and easy! Often I don't even chop the herbs, just throw on some sprigs, but the kids don't like that as much. Voila:

Supper's ready! I like common thyme with my sweet potatoes and both kinds of chives plus parsley with the cauliflower. Rice with herbs and sautéed onions were another option tonight.