Ingredients
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2 -12 squares parchment paper
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extra virgin olive oil or olive oil flavored cooking spray
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8 ounces white fish fillets, 4 ounces each (such as sole or snapper)
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kosher salt, to taste
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fresh ground black pepper, to taste
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2 ounces dry white wine
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zest of one lemon
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1 tablespoon butter
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2 sprigs dill or 2 sprigs about 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
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16 thin asparagus spears
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2 lemon slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, F.
- Fold each square of parchment in half and cut out a heart shape. (You have all done this before—in school when you made Valentine cards.).
- Open each heart and brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil or spray with olive oil spray.
- Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper; set aside.
- Wash asparagus and break off and discard the woody ends.
- Lightly spray olive oil on the asparagus and toss with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper and the lemon zest.
- Divide the asparagus in half; put half of the asparagus on each of the hearts, just to one side of the center of each heart.
- Put one piece of fish on top of each bundle of asparagus.
- Top with one sprig of dill (or half of the dried dill), a slice of lemon and either ½ of the butter or a light drizzle of olive oil.
- Splash half the wine on top of each piece of fish.
- Now, to wrap up these packets: fold the top of the heart over the fish and asparagus.
- At the top end of the heart, away from the point, fold up both edges (top and bottom) and crease well.
- Move down about ½ inch and fold up the edges, overlapping your first fold. Continue folding and creasing all around the parchment heart until you get to the point.
- Fold and crease the point twice.
- You now have successfully wrapped your fish en papillote--yeah!
- Place the packets side by side on a baking sheet, making sure the packets aren’t touching.
- Bake in the center of the oven until the packets are well puffed and the fish is cooked, about 10-12 minutes.
- To serve, put a packet on your sweetheart’s plate, place in front of her, and with a dramatic flourish and a “watch out for the steam,†carefully slice the packet open with a sharp knife.
- You watch out, too—the steam will be very hot.