Recipe Courtesy of April Stamm

1 Tablespoon shallot, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 lb button mushrooms, very finely chopped

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

5 springs fresh thyme, divided

4 4-6 oz striped bass fillets, skinned

1 cup artichoke hearts, canned and drained or frozen and thawed, roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup white wine

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon heavy cream

Special Equipment: Parchment Paper


Preheat oven to 500 degree F.


Make the Duxelles:

In a medium sauté pan melt the butter over medium low heat.  Add the shallots and sweat until translucent, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Add the finely chopped mushrooms, season with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and add one thyme sprig.  Sauté until mushrooms are completely soft and tender, but have not turned into mush.  Remove the thyme sprig and set aside to cool.


Make the Papillote:

Beat eggs with heavy cream and set aside.  Fold 4 pieces of parchment paper each about 1 foot square in half.  Cut each of the folded squares into an apple shape (a heart with a long “stem”), using as much of the paper as possible.   For each packet, lay about 1/3 cup of the duxelles on one half of the apple, top with a bass fillet.  Season the fillet with salt and pepper, top with one even layer of artichoke hearts and one sprig of thyme.  Sprinkle with a few drops (1/2 teaspoon) each of lemon juice and white wine.  Brush the edges of the apple with the egg wash, fold in half on the original fold and lightly brush the edge again on the outside.  Starting at the bottom of the halved apple, make small folds to seal all the way up to the stem, twist the stem to completely seal the packet.  Brush each packet lightly with the egg wash on the top only.  Place the packets on a sheet tray and in the 500 degree oven for a total of 11 minutes.   After 10 minutes, open the oven and quickly poke a small hole in each packet with a trussing needle or a skinny metal skewer and close the door immediately (this will help the packets stay puffed when they are out of the oven).  After 11 minutes take the packets out of the oven and serve immediately, cutting the paper open at the table.


***Read this recipe as a technique more than a specific recipe.  Try experimenting by switching any of the three major components.  The bottom layer of duxelles can be swapped out for any thick slightly chunky sauce that’s not too wet (olive tapenade, salsas [drained of some liquid], etc.).  The fish can be replaced by nearly any flaky fish fillet of similar thickness.  The artichokes and thyme could be nearly any veggies and fresh herbs!

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