Cooking classes have ended.  It’s a hard thing to wrap my head around; yes, I am glad that I will have my two-day weekends back again (and not a moment too soon since I am hoping to welcome John to New York in just a few short days).  But, I am going to miss learning and challenging myself in new and exciting ways.

Too often since I’ve become a “grown-up” (and by that I solely mean exist independently: feed, clothe, and house myself), I have felt like there’s less and less of those types of “growth” opportunities.  As a kid, your whole existence is learning whether it be in school or every extracurricular activity you get to participate in.  But that tapers off and is replaced with club hopping with friends, days at the beach, picnics in the park, etc.  All fun things, but nothing to help take you out of your comfort zone.

Our last class featured fish and quartering chickens.  I have a thing about whole chickens.  I hate them and they also sort of terrify me.  I appreciate knowing where my food comes from but I just find chicken overall gross.  I can JUST about handle the breasts, and sometimes John even cuts them up for me.  Irrational fears I have…

I also had never filleted a fish before, with the head, scales, tail on and all!   I was so proud of my accomplishments in both that I threw them in the blast chiller and brought them home.  Our chef-instructor, chef Lance, packaged them up for me and on my way I went.  The family couldn’t stop talking about my fish in parchment paper.  It may be a little “retro” as cutting-edge Chef Lance thought, but, it still makes a tremendous presentation!

There are a number of ingredients and side-portions of this dish, which was served over mushroom duxelle and tomato fondue.  I have pared it down to just the fish preparation for your dinner here.

Red Snapper Baked in Parchment Paper
Serves:  4
1/2 ounce butter
2 ounces carrots, julienned
2 ounces leeks, julienned
2 ounces celery, julienned
4 fillets of red snapper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons white wine
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


In a saucepan, melt the butter into 3 cups of water.   When the butter-water comes to a boil, add the carrots, celery, and leeks.  Let them boil for about 45 seconds - 1 minute.  Remove the saucepan from heat and set aside.

Cut 4 large heart shapes out of parchment paper (for ease, fold it over like you would a kindergarten craft, trace a rough half of heart, then cut).  

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Then, season the snapper fillets with salt and pepper.  Place the fish in the center of one-half the heart (so it folds over the fillet.  Top with vegetables, sprig of thyme, and moisten with some white wine.  Brush the edges of the paper heart with a lightly beaten egg white.  Fold the paper heart in half, press the edges together to seal.  Brush the edges with the beaten egg white.  Make a series of short folds along the edges.  Using a pastry brush, very lightly oil the top of the parchment paper.  Bake for about 7-8 minutes, until fish is fully cooked.  Serve the fish in the parchment paper to be opened at the table.

One more thing about expanding our horizons, before I move on for the day; its often difficult and scary to take time (and lots of money, in this case) and a big change to learn something new.  I’m so proud of myself for throwing caution to the wind and taking in every morsel of this class.  It involved riding the subway in new ways, finding my way in a new area of the city, mingling with people I’ve never met, and learning culinary chops that I have never had before (and always wanted to learn).  Sometimes, you have to take that extra step just for you.  To give you some idea of the success I had, E is already asking when I can make the Roasted Beet and Apple salad again!

Until the next time my oven is on...