Quick Healthy Meals in Parchment

En papillote, or cooking in parchment packets, is a French technique that is quick and easy. The food is steamed inside the pouch during baking, keeping its moisture intact. The natural sweetness of the foods comes out in this cooking method. If you have never tried it before, you will find it is fun, too. In the oven, the packets fill up like a balloon. Your family and friends will not know what is for dinner until they open their packets, engulfing them in the delicious scents of herbs, sauce, and food.

If you do not have any parchment paper handy, you can try this method out with brown lunch bags. If you do have some parchment, it is easy to use. Fold a large sheet in half. Cut along the fold, making a large Valentine heart. You will need one for each person you are feeding. Open the heart on the counter. Center your food on one half of the heart. Add the seasonings and sauces and top with aromatics like herbs or lemon slices. Seal up the packets by folding the empty half of the heart over the food. Starting at the rounded end, make small folds toward the food. Continue in this manner all around the edge. When you get to the point, refold it several times to complete the seal. Tuck it under the packet. Move the packets onto a baking sheet and cook according to your recipe.

Healthy Benefits

Besides the obvious benefits of easy clean up and the fun of opening up your meal like a present, cooking in parchment packets is also healthy for you. The steaming of the food in the packets is a low fat way to cook. You do not need to add a lot of oil or butter to cook your food. It is also a wonderful way to deal with delicate foods like sole and flounder.

Parchment is easily found at the grocery store with the aluminum foil and waxed paper. If you cannot find parchment, foil will work the same way.

What can be Cooked in Parchment?

Parchment packets are versatile… you can cook almost anything easily. Fish, pork, and chicken all work really well. An entire meal can be made inside a packet. Just layer your meat, vegetables, and sauce in the pouch, close it up and put it in the oven. Pasta even works inside a pouch!

Make a delicious entre of salmon, dill, and lemon, or a vegetarian dish of sweet potatoes seasoned with leeks. Find some easy chicken recipes with a sauce and bake them in parchment. You can even make a tasty Asian pouch with ramen noodles, green onions, fish or chicken and some teriyaki sauce.

Preparation is the key to baking in parchment. Make sure your aromatic vegetables are sliced thinly. Some vegetables that work well include carrots, celery, shallots, mushrooms, and zucchini. Add some herbs.

Use a baking sheet to hold your packets and bake in a 400-degree oven for about ten minutes. Dinner will be ready in a flash!