FISH FILLETS WITH TOMATOES AND OLIVES IN PARCHMENT

Fish Fillets With Tomatoes and Olives in Parchment image

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

four 20 by 15 inch pieces of parchment paper
vegetable oil for brushing the parchment
four 6- to-8 ounce skinless flounder or orange roughy fillets
twelve 1/4-inch-thick tomato slices
8 Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
the zest from 1/2 orange removed with a vegetable peeler and cut into thin julienne strips
4 fresh herb sprigs, such as sage, thyme, or parsley

Steps:

On a work surface brush 1 of the pieces of parchment with the oil, turn it over, and brush the other side with the oil. Arrange a second piece of parchment on top of the first, brush it with the oil, and layer the remaining 2 pieces on top in the same manner. Season the fish with salt and pepper, arrange 1 of the fillets on one half of the top piece of parchment, and top it with 3 tomato slices, one fourth of the olives, 1/8 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes, one fourth of the butter, one fourth of the zest, and 1 herb sprig. Fold the other half of the parchment over the fillet, beginning with a folded corner twist and fold the edges together forming a half-heart-shaped packet, and seal the end tightly by twisting it. Make 3 more packets with the remaining parchment and ingredients in the same manner. (Alternatively, the fish mixture can be wrapped in sheets of foil, oiling only the inside.) Bake the packets on a baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 450°F. oven for 10 minutes and cut them open before serving.