Low Carb Salmon en Papillote (THM S)
This is one of those meals that sounds (and looks) super fancy, but takes minimal effort (win!).
"En Papillote" is a French dish that simply means "in parchment." Wrapping each portion of fish in parchment paper is so smart because 1) each packet makes its own little lemon butter sauce which coats the fish and veggies and 2) the only clean up is throwing away paper (easy, right?!).
Let's start by talking about the fish. You do not want to go cheap on the salmon here - you want fresh, vibrant flavors and it's hard to get that from frozen filets. I always get this large plank of fresh salmon from Costco. They take great care in butchering the fish by removing all the pin bones (I've never gotten one bone from Costco fish) AND the skin. I'm not partial to fish skin, so I appreciate that they take care of that part for me. At the end of the day, where you get your salmon is entirely up to you, just make sure it's good because you'll need about 2lbs of it. (I'm going to show you a fantastic lunch or dinner rollover meal later!).
Slice the lemons, squash, and mushrooms, then filet the plank of salmon into individual portions (I got 7 portions from mine). To filet the fish, use a sharp, long knife to make deep, long cuts. That way your filets won't look like you've been sawing away at the fish.
Cut 1 10-12in piece of parchment paper for each portion of fish, and pile them all up to make your assembly easy.
I made a shortcut by using frozen green beans for the bottom. I didn't thaw them out or cook them before putting them into the parchment packets, and they were perfectly cooked after roasting.
Assemble the packets by taking a piece of parchment paper, piling a portion of green beans on the bottom. Stack on the sliced squash and place the mushrooms around the sides. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Carefully lay the fish filet on top, season it with salt and pepper, tear off a few pieces of fresh dill, lay the sliced lemons over the fish, then top with a pat of soft butter.
Next, you'll get to wrapping the fish, nice and snug. Take the longest ends of the paper up together, make about 1-inch fold and keep folding and creasing down to the surface of the fish. Grab one of the small ends, pinch and crease it then tuck it under the fish - same goes for the other end.
That's it! keep wrapping and rolling until all of your portions are wrapped. This can be done up to 1 day ahead of cooking. You don't want the fish sitting too long with the lemon, because it will start to cure.
When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375, and place the packets onto a large baking sheet. They won't leak (so long as there aren't any holes in your packets), so you shouldn't need extra foil or anything. Pop them into the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes.
The best part is that this is a complete meal in a packet. You can transfer the packets straight from the baking sheet to a plate, then tear open the tops to reveal your beautifully roasted salmon and vegetables.
Just look how gorgeous that is! I topped it with a touch of fresh chopped parsley and called it a day. The lemons roast down and become a little sweet, so squeeze those babies over the top of your fish. The butter and lemon drip down to the veggies, making them perfectly seasoned and buttery. The salmon is flaky, soft, and just a little crispy on the outside.
My kids enjoyed this meal as is (they LOVE salmon), and I had a side green salad with mine. It was a beautifully light S meal!
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