pesto

Simple and Flavorful: Cod en Papillote with Pesto

Who doesn’t love an easy-to-make dinner with easy cleanup? Cod en papillote is one of my favorite spring and summertime dishes because it involves so few utensils. Plus, it’s a creative way to use vegetables straight from the garden!

Thanks to my mom, I learned this cooking technique as a kid. Even as an adult, cooking “en papillote” is a fun and elegant way to cook a healthy meal.

Every time I make this, the fish comes out perfectly flaky. I prefer using cod because it’s a mild, soft white fish that cooks quickly and takes on lots of flavors. I also love pesto, so this recipe incorporates jarred basil pesto to save a little time.

If you are up to making your own pesto, check out some of my Sorrel & Basil recipe. And if you are feeling extra adventurous, I have a delicious recipe for Asparagus Pesto.

What is Cod en papillote?

The term “en papillote” is French for ‘in paper.’ Cod en papillote is a recipe for baking cod in a parchment paper pouch. Alternatively, you can use aluminum foil if you don’t have any parchment paper on hand.

I prefer using parchment paper because it looks elegant and can make a weeknight meal feel like a special occasion. Plus, seeing the pouch puff up and cut through the steamy paper to reveal the finished meal is fun.

How to pronounce ‘en papillote’ : Ahn-Pap-Pee-Yaht

How to make my Cod en Papillote with Vegetables and Pesto

To make this recipe of Cod en Papillote you’ll lay cod and fresh vegetables onto a sheet of parchment paper. You’ll simply season them and top with prepared basil pesto. Lastly, you’ll fold the edges of the parchment paper to enclose your ingredients, creating a pouch.

Baking will only take you about 15 minutes to do. The goal is to get the fish cooked through and vegetables lightly steamed. When done, you can either eat your meal straight from the packet or plate it with your favorite grain.

1-minute Video: How to Make Cod en Papillote with Vegetables & Pesto

One minute video that shows how to cut your parchment paper and seal the packet for Cod en Papillote.

Vegetable combinations for Cod en papillote

I use fresh broccoli, shallot, and cherry tomatoes in this recipe. The wonderful thing about this technique is that you can use a variety of your favorite vegetables. So many ingredients can pair well with cod and absorb the earthy flavors of the pesto.

Here are several vegetable combinations to try with cod:

Thinly sliced Onion and Bell Pepper
Mushrooms and Broccolini
Green beans and Corn
Sugar snap peas and Shallots
Zucchini and Red Onion
Diced Eggplant and peppers

What other types of fish work for this recipe?

Because the availability of certain fish varies amongst regions and seasons, you may find yourself looking for an alternate fish to use in this recipe. I recommend using any white fish filet similar in mildness and skinless like cod. Some suitable substitutes for cod in this recipe are:

Mahi Mahi
Sea Bass
Whiting
Grouper
Haddock
Pollock

If you need more fish substitute ideas, check out this article by Epicurious.

All in All

I love the fresh vegetables, steamed white fish, and tasty pesto. Cooking fish in a parchment paper pouch takes little effort and can even be prepped one day ahead. A big time-saver on my weeknights!

Cooking cod en papillote is worth a try if you want a simple, healthy recipe with minimal cleanup afterward.

Enjoy, and let me know how you like this recipe!

Cod en Papillote with Vegetables and Pesto

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe

Course Dinner

Cuisine French

Servings 1 person

Equipment

1 sheet of parchment paper
Oven
kitchen shears

Ingredients

1 Cod filet 4 – 5 ounces
1/8 cup Broccoli florets chopped into small pieces
4-5 Cherry Tomatoes left whole
1 tbsp Basil Pesto

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Start by cutting of parchment paper into a large heart shape. Lay flat on counter.
On one side of the "heart", layer vegetables and season lightly with salt and pepper. Top with fish filet and cover the fish a heaping tablespoon of pesto.
Fold the empty side of paper over the fish and vegetable medley to enclose the food. Starting at one end , make very tight overlapping folds. When you reach the end, twist the paper closed to prevent leaking.
Place packet on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake for 14-15 minutes and remove. Allow packet to sit 1-2 minutes and then carefully cut open.
Serve fish and vegetables while warm.

Keyword broccoli, fish, pesto, tomato

Surf and Turf Idea: Pesto Orzo with Salmon and Bacon

This pasta medley is earthy, balanced, and hearty. Baked salmon is flaked into a creamy pesto orzo tossed with sweet peas. The added bacon makes it a delightful “surf and turf” meal that everyone will enjoy.

Jump to Recipe

What kind of pesto to use?

Your favorite pesto will work for this dish. Whether it’s homemade or store-bought, go for it. I like to use and make different pestos. My favorite is pesto Genovese, used in this dish. It includes basil, oil, pine nuts, and garlic. During warmer months, I like to make it using fresh basil from my garden. Otherwise, I keep a jar in the fridge so that I always have it on hand – I love it so much that it’s a staple in our house.

Pesto can be made with a variety of ingredients. Classic pesto includes pine nuts, whereas others opt for pecans, pepitas, or pistachios. You can also sub out basil leaves as I did in my Sorrel & Basil Pesto or my Asparagus Pesto recipes.

Seriously, use your favorite pesto here! You’ll enjoy it. If you’re looking for even more pesto inspo, here’s a helpful roundup by Saveur that includes 11 pesto varieties.

How to make Pesto Orzo with Salmon and Bacon

Mise En Place

1 lb salmon
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
salt and pepper – you’ll need enough to season to taste
3 slices of thick-sliced bacon
1 cup of uncooked, dry orzo
1 small yellow onion
1 cup frozen peas – thawed
3 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/4 cup of your favorite pesto
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Asiago cheese, grated – enough for serving

Recipe Steps

Start by baking the salmon.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Season the salmon with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Top with pats of butter.
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until cooked through.

Next, cook the orzo.

In a pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.
Add the onion to the reserved bacon fat and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add orzo and constantly stir for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in chicken broth, cover with a lid, and lower the heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the orzo is al dente.
Stir in pesto, peas, and cream. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes.

Bring it all together and Serve.

Gently fold in salmon until pieces are flaked apart. Next, fold in the bacon pieces.
Plate and serve warm. Top with grated asiago and parsley.

Recipe Variations

Instead of Peas, try:

Roasted asparagus *can cook this in the oven while the salmon is roasting.
Thinly sliced zucchini
Fresh broccoli florets
Edamame – removed from shells

Instead of Bacon, try:

Pancetta
Prosciutto
Capicola

Instead of Salmon, try:

Artic Char
Trout
Tilapia
Yellowtail

*Note: Cooking times for the fish will vary depending on the type and thickness of the cut.

What other substitutes would you make for this dish? Let everyone know in the comments.

All in All

This pesto orzo is an awesome choice if you’re looking for a “surf and turf” idea. It’s an easy recipe to prepare and has lots of room for variations that fit your or your guest’s food preferences. Also, it’s a very filling comfort meal, especially this time of the year.

Another plus, I’ve made this several times and always have plenty of leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day, even after my family has dug in. It heats up pretty well. I recommend refrigerating leftovers in an airtight container for no more than 1-2 days.

Pesto Orzo with Salmon and Bacon

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4

Ingredients

Salmon

1 lb salmon
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Orzo Pasta

3 slices thick-sliced bacon
1 cup dry orzo
1 small onion
1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup pesto
1/2 cup heavy cream
Asiago cheese, grated

Instructions

Bake Salmon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
On a baking sheet, season the salmon with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Top with pats of butter.
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until cooked through.

Cook Orzo

In a pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.
In the reserved bacon fat, add the onion and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add orzo and stir constantly for an additional 30 seconds. Stir in chicken broth, cover with lid and lower heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until orzo is al dente.
Stir in pesto, peas and cream. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes.
Gently fold in salmon, until pieces are flaked apart.Next, fold in bacon pieces.
Plate and serve warm. Top with grated asiago and parsley.

Keyword bacon, dinner, main dish, orzo, pesto, salmon

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Sorrel and Basil Pesto: Easy use of garden herbs

Sorrel and basil are combined with the popular ingredients of pesto to create a creamy and delicious sauce. Instead of pine nuts, the earthy taste of walnuts are used. This pesto is great for tossing into pasta or spread on bread for a sandwich.

Why Sorrel and Basil?

As we transition to fall, I feel lucky to make one of my favorite sauces. I could probably eat pesto every day, and my garden is giving me so many fresh ingredients to make pesto before it retires for the winter. The use of sorrel in this recipe pairs well with traditional basil because of it’s lemony flavor that gives it a special brightness.

As a home gardener, sorrel was my favorite addition to our yard this year. It’s a pretty hardy perennial that required very little maintenance. I planted mine in a large bucket because I was pregnant and running low on energy at the time. I plan to transplant it to a more permanent spot in one of my garden beds soon. If you’re a gardener too, here’s a helpful article I found about sorrel.

Here, I tossed together fettuccini noodles, peas and this pesto for a meal. I topped the dish with seasoned breadcrumbs to make it a “pangrattato”.

Mise En Place

Sorrel – rinsed, dried and lightly torn
Basil – rinsed and dried
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese – grated
Garlic – lightly chopped
Walnuts
Lemon Juice
Sea Salt

How to make Sorrel and Basil Pesto

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add all of the ingredients.
Blend until smooth.
If desired, add additional oil and blend until mixture is thinned and the consistency you like.

Tips for making this pesto

This recipe makes 3/4 cup of pesto.
If you prefer your pesto to be thinner, turn blender back on and slowly dribble in more oil until it reaches the desired consistency.
Can’t find walnuts? Try using pine nuts or pecans instead.

All in All

I love having a go-to pesto to make right in my own kitchen. The “icing on the cake” is being able to use fresh foods right from my own yard. Pesto can be versatile if you are brave enough to stray away from the traditional ingredients and this recipe was perfect for my taste. I think I need to incorporate this pesto into my Chicken, Spinach and Pesto Lasagna very soon!

Sorrel and Basil Pesto

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Course Sauces and Dips

Cuisine Italian

Equipment

Food Processor
Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients

2 cups fresh sorrel
1/3 cup walnuts
1 cup basil leaves
1 large garlic clove
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil extra virgin

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
Blend for 2-3 minutes on a slow speed until the herbs and nuts are finely minced and mixture is smooth.
Use immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Notes

This recipe makes 3/4 cup of pesto.

If you prefer your pesto to be thinner, turn blender back on and slowly dribble in more oil until it reaches the desired consistency.

Can’t find walnuts? Try using pine nuts or pecans instead.

Keyword dip, pesto, sauce

Asparagus Pesto

This asparagus pesto is vibrant, healthy, and best of all, fresh. Toss this bright sauce in pasta or use as a topping for appetizers.

No Basil? No problem.

If you’re like me, you may be most familiar with (and slightly addicted to) the classic basil pesto. Classic basil pesto is also called Pesto alla Genovese. It includes a combination of basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. I recently learned that classic basil pesto is most traditionally made using a mortar and pestle. This sent me down a rabbit hole of pesto history that will definitely be shared in an upcoming post.

As for this asparagus pesto recipe, it is a spin on traditional pesto. This recipe includes pine nuts, olive oil, finely grated Parmesan, garlic and instead of basil, asparagus. The sauce also incorporates fresh lemon for acidity that compliments the asparagus well.

Ingredients for asparagus pesto recipe — Mise en place: Asparagus, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic.

Techniques to know for this recipe:

Blanch: Parboil in water or steam; cooking stops by submerging food into a cold water bath.
Toast: Make food hot or browned using heat
Puree: Make a paste or thick liquid by blending foods together.

Blanching: Parboiled asparagus submerged in ice water bath.

Pine nuts toasting in dry pan — Toasting: Heating pine nuts over medium heat in a dry pan.

Pureed food in a food processor bowl. — Pureeing: Ingredients were blended together into a paste like consistency using a food processor.

As mentioned earlier, I learned that a mortar and pestle is most traditionally used to make pesto. I used my food processor to make this recipe. The cooking time is minimal for this. If you have a good blender, it will work fine too. The idea is to blend and puree the ingredients into the paste-like consistency that we love about pesto.

I love how bright green this asparagus pesto is. Blanching the asparagus allows the asparagus to get cooked just enough with being soggy or losing it’s flavor and beautiful color.

Pesto Nuts

There are many pesto recipes that call for various types of nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, or pecans. For this pesto I use pine nuts. You can find pine nuts at most grocery stores these days. Lightly toasting the pine nuts in a dry pan first brings out more flavor and therefore deepens the flavor of the pesto. Be careful not to toast the nuts for more than a few minutes as they do burn easily.

Raw pine nuts in glass bowl — Pine nuts have several health benefits and are a traditional pesto ingredient.

How I Used This Sauce

I tossed about a cup of the pesto into a shrimp pasta dish. It was delicious! My husband really enjoyed it too. I think my toddler enjoyed the bright color and messiness, all while getting a small dose of vegetables into his diet.

Shrimp Pasta tossed with asparagus pesto.

I also made a healthy little snack by topping crostinis with the pesto. I plan on using this for future parties or barbeques and dressing it up a little bit with garnish. I think people will enjoy it as an appetizer. It will especially be a cooling treat for events hosted on the deck. Overall, this asparagus pesto kept well in the fridge for about 3 days making it a good recipe to make ahead.

Crostini with asparagus pesto — Crostini topped with asparagus pesto.

Other ways you could use asparagus pesto:

Use as a sandwich condiment
Toss in your favorite pasta
Use it as a pizza or flatbread sauce
As a dip

What other ways could you use this sauce in your cooking repertoire?

Asparagus Pesto

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 20

Total Time 20

Course Appetizer

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
zest of half a lemon
juice of half a lemon about 2 Tablespoons
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

Cut woodsy ends of asparagus off and discard. Chopped asparagus into 2 inch pieces.
Blanch asparagus: Bring pot of water to a boil, cook asparagus 5-6 minutes until tender. Strain asparagus and add to bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Let sit in ice bath for 1-2 minutes and then drain.
Toast pine nuts: In a dry skillet, cook pine nuts over medium heat for no more than 3 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from skillet.
In food processor, blend together the cooked asparagus, toasted pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, dash of salt, and dash of pepper until pureed.
If desired, add parmesan cheese and blend for one more minute. You may need to add another tablespoon of olive oil if mixture is too thick for your preference.
Use pesto immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Keyword sauce