Oven steaming a delightful piece of wild-caught salmon in parchment sachets (en papillote is the French term for cooking food in a parchment packet) takes the worry out of serving a dry, overcooked fish dinner. Plus, it’s a simple process that leaves you more time away from the kitchen to mingle with family and friends. Adding a colourful root vegetable slaw and horseradish-infused butter sauce makes the meal worthy of a special occasion and fit for the season.
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Skin deep
A downside of steam-cooking fish in parchment packets is that you don’t get a nice crispy skin, one reason some people choose to use skinless fish. Purchasing your fish from a dedicated seafood purveyor means they can easily remove the skin from the salmon for you, if you’d prefer.
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This collection was originally published in the October 2025 issue of alive magazine.
