Salmon en Papillote

 

It's ironic that after almost 10 years of living in Seattle, I am still not a fan of salmon. I find that it's too fishy and oily for my taste but my family loves it. I like this preparation because the odor is kept to a minimum unlike when you sear it in a pan. It also allows you to fix a salad or side dish while it cooks. Clean up is also kept to a minimum and we can always use a cheat in that department!

Ingredients

• Parchment Paper
• 1 pound wild salmon fillet (skin and pin bones removed)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper 
• 1 tablespoons tarragon 
• 1 large lemon sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut in cubes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Clean salmon by quickly running through cold water and putting it on a paper towel to dry.
3. Place salmon on a plate or baking sheet and pour the olive oil  all over the fillet coating both sides.
4. Mix salt, pepper and tarragon in small bowl and sprinkle on both sides of the salmon. 
5. Put a sheet of parchment paper on an 11x14 baking pan.
6. Place the salmon on the sheet of parchment paper and place where you can fold the parchment over the fillet.
7. Place half of the sliced lemons on top of the fillet. With the other lemon slices, squeeze some of the juice all over the salmon.
8. Place the cubes of butter all over the salmon and sprinkle more tarragon if you like.
9. Fold parchment over the salmon fillet and start crimping the paper over each other. Once you get to the end, tuck it underneath the fillet. Make sure the salmon is sealed in.
10. Cut a small hole at the top to allow steam to escape.
11. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillet.
12. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.