Cod en Papillote Provencal with Roasted Potatoes
Serves 4
½ stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (such as lemon thyme, English thyme, chives, and/or parsley)
½ teaspoon salt, plus more
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more
½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced or quartered or 2 ripe plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons capers, drained
8 large, pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
1 lemon thinly sliced
4 tablespoons dry white wine
4 (6 oz) cod loins, if unable to find loins, you can tuck the thin tail end under, to ensure fish cooks evenly
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix butter, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Fold four 12 X 15 pieces of parchment paper in half. Place 1 fish fillet next to crease on each piece of parchment.
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Spread each fillet with a tablespoon of compound butter. Distribute tomatoes, olives and capers over each cod filet. Top each filet with lemon slices. Pour a tablespoon of white wine over each cod filet. Fold parchment over. Starting at top of each package, make small, tight, overlapping folds along outside edge to seal, twisting tail ends. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet; roast 15-18 minutes. Transfer packets to plates, and allow to steam 2 minutes. Carefully, slit tops with a knife; gently open, as steam can be quite hot.
Roasted Baby Potatoes
2 pounds baby potatoes, any variety, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss all ingredients until coated. Arrange in one layer, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Roast potatoes, rotating pan front to back halfway through, until crisp and golden brown on the bottom, about 18-20 minutes
Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise
½ cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellman’s
1 jarred or homemade roasted red pepper, well drained and seeded
2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste, using a pinch of salt and a chef knife, scrape into a paste
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust amount to your taste
Salt to taste
Purée all ingredients in a small food processor or blender, until completely pureed. Taste for seasoning.