Crawfish Boil Catfish en Papillote

“En papillote” means “in parchment” in French. This cooking method involves baking fish and vegetables in parchment paper, which helps to lock in the flavor and moisture of the ingredients.

Ingredients:

4-5/7 -ounce Catfish filets 

1lb. LA Select Crawfish Tails

¼ cup olive oil

2 lemons (1 sliced and one for juicing}

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion sliced thin

6 small butter potatoes halved

4 small ears of corn/kernels removed

1 small pkg of morel or seasonal mushrooms

1 bunch fresh asparagus

Fresh tarragon

Blackening or Creole seasoning to taste

Instructions:

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 425° F. 

Season crawfish tails and catfish with blackening seasoning. Make sure to season both sides of catfish.

Assemble the Packets: Tear off 4 squares of parchment that are at least 12 inches on each side. Lay the sheet flat on a work surface. Place equal parts of onions in the center of a sheet, leaving space at the top and bottom. On top of the onions, place 1 fish filet so that it runs vertically from top to bottom. Lightly sprinkle the fish with blackening seasoning, a few very thin slices of lemons and olive oil. Top with equal amounts of potatoes, asparagus, corn, garlic, mushrooms and fresh herbs.

Fold the Parchment Packets: Lift the right and left sides of the paper up and towards the center, directly above the fish. Touch the two sides together and tightly roll them, folding as you go, until you reach the fish. Now, roll and crimp the top and bottom ends, rolling them towards the counter, away from the center of the fish. When you reach the end, tuck the end underneath the fish. Place the packet on a rimmed baking sheet, using the weight of the fish to hold the ends in place (you don’t want the packet to come unsealed as it bakes). Repeat with the remaining three packets.

Place in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is fully cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice and basil leaves as desired.