Fish in Parchment with Orange and Chile (En Papilotte)
Because the fish, which is flavoured with garlic, chile, ginger, and turmeric, is sealed in a pouch before it's baked, it stays extra moist and flavourful with no risk of drying out. If you don't have parchment, foil works just as well. Feel free to try this method on other types of fish, like salmon, halibut, or cod.
5 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 small Indian green chile or serrano chile, finely chopped
1 (3") piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp. ground turmeric
4 (8 oz) fillets sea bass (1-1½" thick)
kosher salt
1 small clementine, peel and segments, finely chopped
To Serve:
cooked white rice
lime wedges
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a rack in the middle position.
Mix garlic, chile, ginger, oil, and turmeric in a small bowl to make a paste. Place fish on a paper towel and pat dry. Season all over with salt. Using half of the paste, coat 1 side of each fillet. Place a 2-foot sheet of parchment paper on work surface. Arrange fillets, paste side down, on half of parchment; coat top sides with remaining paste, making sure to evenly cover the entire surface. Top fillets with finely chopped clementine peel and fold other half of parchment up and over fish. Fold each open side over three times to seal parchment and make a pouch. Chill 30 minutes.
Transfer pouch to a rimmed baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes. Turn off oven and let fish sit in oven 1 minute longer - the pouch should have puffed up at this point. Remove from oven, let pouch cool 1 minute, then open (be careful of the hot steam inside!).
Transfer fillets to plates and spoon juices from pouch over. Serve with rice and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Makes 4 servings.