Cooking vegetables al papillote

For 4 € 1.4 /pers. 96 kcal/100g

Preparing any food with the papillote technique means cooking it in the best way to maintain its nutrients and at the same time making it exquisite, preventing it from drying out. “ Papillot” or “papillote” comes from French and means “in a package . ” This technique, like many other culinary techniques, was inherited from France and has been adopted by most countries. In Italy for example it is known as “Cartoccio”.

What does it consist of?

It is a very easy technique to do, fast, with it we can make delicious dishes such as salmon or sea bream with hardly any special equipment and it is also healthy, it is the most recommended by nutritionists to carry out a low-fat diet or simply for delicate digestion. It is so simple that once you know the steps, you will not need anything else to make a recipe.

Papillote consists of cooking food sealed in a wrapper and is cooked thanks to the heat of the steam generated inside. The food’s own juices cook it, but at the same time it is protected from outside heat.

To take into account when cooking it. Tips

• The most common thing is to use the oven as a heat source , but you can use the steamer, the microwave, the grill and even a barbecue. Vegetables cooked in papillote have countless advantages, in addition to not staining anything in the kitchen and are cooked very quickly, they are tender and juicy without losing nutrients and unlike in the oven you can add herbs, spices, olive oil, which will enhance it’s taste.
• When cooking, you can combine all types of vegetables, you just have to keep in mind that the cooking time is the same. I recommend combining vegetables or vegetables that require the same cooking time, cutting them into homogeneous pieces to facilitate and speed up cooking.
• It is therefore a perfect technique for cooking large quantities of different vegetables, or for preparing the garnish at the same time as roast meat or fish. It is also ideal for preparing them in advance or taking them to work, because when they are wrapped you will only have to give them a shock of heat.
• As for the packaging , as well as the type of appliance, there are many options. Although the original technique used greaseproof paper , today aluminum foil or silicone containers are also used… but greaseproof paper breaks more quickly. difficulty, does not stick and is not affected by the acids of some foods.
• Another thing to keep in mind is the cooking time . As you gain experience, you will control the times better and better, and although they vary according to each food, you have to adjust them depending on the taste of each one and the appliance where you will cook it. To do this, it is always better to stay short, you can always give it a little more time and reach the desired point.

Preparation of vegetables in papillote

1. We preheat the oven to 180º C – 200º C with heat up and down. We prepare the vegetables according to their characteristics, washing them, removing the useless parts. We cut it into homogeneous pieces to speed up cooking by adjusting the cooking times, for example, in sticks or julienne. At home we like it that way, but you can also cut the vegetables any way you like.
2. We spread a sheet of  baking paper or aluminum  on the oven tray and put the vegetables in the center. We add a whole clove of peeled garlic or cut in half to give more flavor, and a few slices of lemon to taste.
3. Season to taste with spices, herbs, extra virgin olive oil, salt… We close the package, in the shape of a half-moon or dumpling, and fold the edges over themselves so that it is airtight. The most important thing is that the vegetables are covered, but squeeze them so that steam can be created inside.
4. We leave it for about 30 minutes, or the time necessary depending on each vegetable. When the package begins to swell, it will be a sign that they are ready. You just have to wait a little so as not to burn yourself and that’s it.

A great way to eat healthy and delicious, a good accompaniment to grilled meats and fish, or to eat as is, with a little rice, quinoa or bulgur. Just let your imagination fly a little and with a little mayonnaise or a yogurt sauce, you will have a delicious meal perfect for the excesses of the weekend.