Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil

By Mark Bittman

Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(5,711)
Comments
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Here is a simple recipe for salmon prepared en papillote (a fancy name for “in paper,” though like most everyone else these days, you will use aluminum foil). Layer salmon, tomato and basil on lightly oiled foil and wrap it all up — you can even do it a night before cooking. When the time for dinner comes, you can steam, grill, roast or pan-grill the packages — though our testing shows roasting is easiest. You can substitute almost anything comparable for each of the ingredients: salmon can be replaced by any fish steak or fillet, or by boneless, skinless chicken breast. The herb and vegetable can also be varied at will, as long as the vegetable will finish cooking at the same time as the protein: if you were cooking broccoli, for example, you would have to cut it into small pieces; if carrots, you'd have to parboil them.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 4tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1½ to 2pounds salmon fillet, cut crosswise (4 pieces)
  • 12cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • Salt and pepper
  • 16basil leaves
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

307 calories; 25 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 18 grams protein; 353 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    For each of 4 packages, place one 12-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil on top of another. Smear top sheet with ½ tablespoon olive oil, and layer a fillet of salmon, 6 tomato halves, salt and pepper, 4 basil leaves and another half tablespoon oil. Seal package by folding foil onto itself and crimping edges tightly. Repeat to make other packages, and refrigerate until ready to cook, no more than 24 hours later.

  2. Step 2

    When you are ready to cook, heat oven to 500 degrees. Place packages in a roasting pan. (Or they can be cooked on top of the stove in 2 skillets over medium-high heat.) Cook 5 minutes (for medium-rare) to 8 minutes from the time the mixture starts to sizzle, or roughly 10 to 12 minutes total.

  3. Step 3

    Let packages rest a minute, and cut a slit along the top with a knife. Use a knife and fork to open the package. Spoon the salmon, garnish and juices onto a plate, and serve.

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5 out of 5
5,711 user ratings
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Comments

LH

Bed of spinach, olive oil, salmon fillet, salt and pepper, squeeze of lemon thinly sliced red onion halved grape tomatoes smashed garlic clove strips of basil, more olive oil. Wrap in parchment paper and form a seal. Roast at 500 for 14-15 minutes, rest for 3. Check doneness because amount of filling will determine time. Serve with coconut rice - jasmine rice in rice cooker with can of coconut milk, salt when it's done.

Richard Cardillo

I don't know why...but I have made this recipe using both aluminum foil and parchment paper. It always comes out tastier and lighter (the salmon is more flaky!) when done with parchment paper.

judi

While the salmon was moist and delicious, the "cooked" whole basil leaves were brown and unappetizing. I would cook the salmon the same way again, but I would either sprinkle fresh, chopped basil at the end (not the whole leaves) or "enclose" another herb that didn't look so sad after being cooked.

H.

Sub parchment paper all the way! Don't need more heavy metals added to food or my body. I never use tin foil to cook with for this reason. I promise it's no necessary. Not in the oven or grill ect. Turns out waaay better anyways with parchment paper.

Evan Hellmuth

I forgot about the salmon and baked it for well over 40 minutes. Still came out flaky and delicious. At this point I’d pay Mark Bittman to date my wife. The man is a saint.

TD

Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this for the freezer? My dad needs meals in the freezer to help him through a health issue, and I’m wondering if anyone has done it? Did you freeze raw and cool entirely, or cook halfway or nearly fully then freeze? I’d like to avoid the fish getting very dried out from overcooking.

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