Salmon En Papillote with Wild Mushrooms

Chef Kathryn Yeomans of The Farmer’s Feast demonstrates how to make a succulent wild and cultivated mushroom dish with fresh salmon to deeply satisfy all earthly pleasures, including the olfactory senses. “En Papillote” is from the French, meaning “in parchment”, the food inside is cooked by the steam from the enclosed juices of the food, or by adding wine, soup stock or other liquids inside the enclosure before cooking. Don’t miss Kathryn Yeoman’s options at the end on instructions for serving to guests.

Salmon en Papillote with Wild Mushrooms

Recipe courtesy of Kathryn Yeomans
serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 pound wild mushrooms, cleaned
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 shallot, minced (about 2 Tbsp. minced shallot)
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (or other savory herb)
• sea salt or truffle salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 oz. Madeira wine
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 six-ounce portions of salmon (skin on is ok, remove pin bones)
• 2 oz. white wine, divided

Instructions:

1. Cut larger mushrooms in half or quarters.
2. In a skillet large enough to accommodate the mushrooms in a single layer, heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame. When the oil is very hot, carefully add the mushrooms all at once and cook them over high heat, stirring occasionally, until any water that the mushrooms give off evaporates away and the mushrooms again begin to sizzle.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the mushrooms for another four minutes, stirring now and then.
4. Add the butter along with the shallots and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are tender and the mushrooms are fully cooked, about 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
5. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Return the heat to high and add the Madeira.
6. Add the thyme and rosemary and cook for 1 more minute.
7. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and allow them to cool.
8. Fold in chopped parsley. This step can be done several hours in advance.
9. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
10. Cut a piece of parchment paper into a heart shape large enough to hold your portion of salmon with a 1-1/2 inch border encircling the fish.
11. Unfold the heart, and place the fish on one half of the heart.
12. Season the fish with truffle salt and pepper and top with half of the mushroom mixture.
13. Carefully add half of the white wine, then fold and seal the package. Beginning at the wider part of the valentine, fold the paper over itself again and again around the perimeter to form a creased edge that seals the package. As you move around the heart, you will end up at the pointed tip. Fold the tip over 3 times and press hard to seal the crease. Repeat this procedure for the other portion of salmon.
14. Slide the package onto a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for about 10-12 minutes (cooking time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the fish).
15. Serve immediately. Slide the package onto a serving plate.

    You have the option of opening the package for your guest at the table, or they can open it themselves. The beauty of this dish is that the diner is privy to the lovely steam and aromas that come up from the entrée as the paper is torn.