Red Mullet is a popular fish all over the Mediterranean and several countries do a version cooked in paper; this recipe would be called Rouget en Papillote in France, Triglie al Cartoccio in Italy and Barbounia sto Harti in Greece.
Ingredients:
12 x 60g Red Mullet fillets, skin on, bones removed
Extra virgin olive oil
4 stalks lemon thyme, leaves only
25g salted butter, diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon dry white wine
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crusty bread, to serve
Green salad, to serve
Method:
Preheat oven to 210ºC.
Remove pin bones from centre of fillets using a pair of fish tweezers.
Lay 4 sheets of baking paper, each large enough to wrap 3 fish fillets, on a clean work surface. Brush with a little olive oil and place 3 fillets side by side, skin-side down, on each sheet. Scatter with lemon thyme, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Dot with butter and drizzle each parcel with 1 teaspoon each lemon juice and wine.
Fold the paper into a parcel around the fish, without pushing it against the fish, tucking in edges to form a secure package so that steam and juices can’t escape. Place parcels on a baking tray and bake for 8 minutes.
Place cooked parcels on plates for diners to open at the table. Serve with crusty bread and green salad.
Alternative species: Bream, Dory, Garfish, Snapper, Whiting.