This is an easy peasy recipe that is great fun to serve at the table. A puffy parcel containing a succulent piece of cod on a bed of semi dried tomatoes with fresh basil and thyme. It’s also super low in calories so great for these winter months when trying to shed the few pounds gained over Christmas (which I am!).
It looks really impressive but trust me, it takes little time and is really delicious.
For 4 people you will need:
4 pieces of cod weighing around 200g each *see note 1
One and half tomatoes per person
A bunch of fresh thyme
A handful of fresh basil (purple or green)
A little olive oil
Tapenade to serve (homemade or bought) *see note 2
Baking paper
Aluminium foil
Method:
Start with the tomatoes. You can do this the day before.
Preheat your oven to 240°C 464°F.
Take the tomatoes and cut them in half crossways, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Place them in a baking dish rubbed with a little olive oil so they don’t stick or line with baking paper.
Pop the dish in the oven for 15 minutes, turn the heat down to 150°C 300°F and leave for another one and a half hours. They should be about half their original size. You can drizzle a little olive oil over them before baking if you wish but it’s not necessary.
Take your baking paper and foil and cut 4 x 40cm squares out of each one. (No need to be exact but they need to be big enough to contain all the ingredients with room for folding over).
Lay the baking paper sheets out first and put the aluminium foil squares over the top. Lightly grease with olive oil.
When the tomatoes are done or when you want to assemble the packets, take 3 halves of tomato and place just off centre on each of the squares.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with some shredded basil and then season the cod on both sides and place on top of the tomatoes. You can add an optional drizzle of olive oil over the fish and pop a whole basil leaf on the top.
Turn the edges of the parcels over to seal them tightly (you can do this twice and bash them down with a rolling pin to secure).
Reheat the oven back to 240°C 464°F and pop the parcels in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place one parcel on each plate.
Take a sharp knife with you to the table and when everyone is sat down, cut a long opening in the packets. Each person can then pull the packets apart as a huge waft of herbs, fish and basil permeates the room.
Serve some tapenade alongside and lots of crusty bread.
Notes
1. 200G of fish may sound a lot but it is the main ingredient so you need this kind of quantity. There are no carbs so great crusty bread is essential for mopping up the juices that gather in the bottom of the papillote. You could use any other flaky white fish.
2. I made homemade tapenade using 100g of stoned black olives, half a tablespoon of capers, 4 anchovy fillets and 3 cloves of garlic blitzed with 75ml of decent olive oil. It was way too garlicky so I’d recommend using just one clove. Alternatively, you can buy good tapenade from the deli or store that would be fine. Just loosen it enough with oil and a little warm water so it makes a sauce. The combination of salty dark tapenade with white flaky fish is sublime.
Our wine choice was not perfect. We choose a Chenin from Saumur that was too lean to match up to the strong flavours. I’d recommend something with a bit more weight such as a Marsanne/ Rousanne from the Languedoc region of France or a Fiano from Italy as good alternatives.
