Ingredients
2 Amberjack fillets
½ fennel, sliced thinly
1 zucchini, sliced
½ red bell pepper, sliced in strips
½ yellow bell pepper, sliced in strips
½ orange bell pepper, sliced in strips
1 scallion, sliced
4 thin lemon slices
2 batches of fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, fresh fennel seeds, each
30 ml. olive oil
25 ml. ouzo or white wine
1 star anise (only if you choose to cook with ouzo)
salt, pepper
Parchment paper, roughly 80 cm.
Method
Preparing the ingredients
Slice the fennel thinly. Go on to slice the zucchini, the bell peppers, the scallion and the lemon. Cut a roughly 80-cm piece of parchment paper.
Pre-heat the oven at 200°C, and select the conventional heating mode.
Preparing the papillote (bow tie)
Set the parchment paper vertically in a sheet pan so that its width covers the pan’s length, the opposite side has some 5 cm extending through the pan, and the rest of the paper is left over on your side. Place the fennel slices right in the middle of the sheet pan, and then add the zucchini, the bell peppers, the scallion and the star anise. Season the ingredients lightly. Place the two Amberjack fillets on top of the vegetables, and season those lightly, too. Pour the herbs over the fish and place the lemon slices on top. Pour some olive oil over the fish, and some ouzo (or wine) over the vegetables.
Sealing & baking the papillote
Cover the fish with the leftover parchment paper. Begin to seal the papillote by folding the paper’s sides first. The paper must fold over 2-3 times for the mix to seal tightly. Afterwards, begin to seal the large side (along the pan) that is opposite you. Right then, check to see if you need to cut off part of the parchment paper so that it gets easier for you to fold over the edges. Finish off the sealing process, place the sheet pan in the preheated oven, and bake the fish for 17′-20′.
Serving
It is rather impressive to place the sealed papillote on the dinner table, and open it in front of your guests to fill the space with the smell of fennel and baked fish. You may then serve each person individually from the larger mix. Alternatively, you may prepare single-serving papillotes from the beginning, for an equally impressive touch during a festive dinner table.
