Red Snapper Prepared en Papillote with Julienned Vegetables

Recipe by Wolfgang Puck

• Level: Intermediate
• Serves: 6
• Nutritional Facts per Serving (1 of 6): 362 Calories; 9 g Total Fat; 2 g Saturated Fat; 8 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Dietary Fiber; 2 g Sugar; 60 g Protein; 105 mg Cholesterol; 803 mg Sodium
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 whole baby red snappers, 8 to 12 ounces each, cleaned and scaled
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 24 small sprigs of fresh tarragon or basil
• 1 carrot, sliced into thin julienne strips
• 1 small leek, thoroughly washed and cut into thin julienne strips
• 1 small turnip, cut into thin julienne strips
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Make a 1/2-inch-deep slit lengthwise along the thickest part of both sides of each snapper. Season the fish with salt and freshly ground black pepper, inside and out. Insert 3 sprigs of tarragon into the cavity of each fish.
2. Cut 6 sheets of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap each fish completely. Preheat your oven to 450F (232C).
3. Arrange half of the julienned vegetables in the middle of each foil sheet to create a bed, then place a snapper on top. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Layer the remaining julienned vegetables on top, followed by lemon slices and the rest of the herbs.
4. Seal each foil packet by folding and double-pleating its edges tightly to form an airtight pouch. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake until the foil puffs up like a balloon, approximately 15 minutes.
5. Serve the foil packages on individual plates, allowing each diner to open their packet carefully. Remove the fillets from the bones along the pre-cut incision and extract the whole spine and ribs in one piece.