Oven steaming a delightful piece of wild-caught salmon in parchment sachets (en papillote is the French term for cooking food in a parchment packet) takes the worry out of serving a dry, overcooked fish dinner. Plus, it’s a simple process that leaves you more time away from the kitchen to mingle with family and friends. Adding a colourful root vegetable slaw and horseradish-infused butter sauce makes the meal worthy of a special occasion and fit for the season.
Skin deep
A downside of steam-cooking fish in parchment packets is that you don’t get a nice crispy skin, one reason some people choose to use skinless fish. Purchasing your fish from a dedicated seafood purveyor means they can easily remove the skin from the salmon for you, if you’d prefer.
This collection was originally published in the October 2025 issue of alive magazine.
Salmon en Papillote with Horseradish Butter and Harvest Slaw
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) wild salmon
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) prepared horseradish
- 2 tsp (10 mL) grainy mustard
- 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt, divided
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) grated beet
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) grated carrot
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) grated parsnip
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped dill
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped chives
Directions
01
Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
02
Slice salmon into 4 equal-sized pieces and pat dry with paper towel.
03
In small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in horseradish, mustard, lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt.
04
In large bowl, toss together grated beet, carrot, parsnip, dill, lemon juice, olive oil, and remaining 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt to make slaw.
05
Cut a roll of parchment paper into 4 individual 20 to 25 inch (50 to 65 cm) long pieces. Fold in half crosswise so crease runs down middle. Create paper hearts by drawing half heart with centre of heart on fold line, then cut out shape. Open each heart and layer 1/4 of slaw on one half of sheet, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) border around edge. Top with 1 piece of salmon and drizzle horseradish sauce overtop. Starting at top of each heart, fold edges of parchment together, sealing edges with tight, 1/4 inch (6 mm) folds. Twist end tip of packet to secure ingredients and tuck it underneath.
06
Place fish packets on 2 rimmed baking sheets and cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before opening packets; garnish with chives.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
