And finally Spring weather! A beautiful day to soak the sun and prepare a healthy super fast lunch. I’ve had the cedar paper sitting on the kitchen counter for a few days, my mind percolating different ideas. Until this morning as I walked to our local market and saw some gorgeous flounder calling my name. Suddenly everything fell into place and lunch was served in under twenty minutes.
If you can’t find cedar paper, you could use a cedar plank or some parchment paper and wrap the fish to bake “en papillote”. In all cases, every other step stays the same. And there was my quick lunch before picking up the kids from school – a slightly smoky-flavored, moist fish perfect with a bunch of veggies and a cooling dip.
Cedar-wrapped local Flounder with Fennel and Zucchini
Flounder Filet
1 zucchini, sliced in fingers (batonnet)
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp mediterranean thyme
Salt and Freshly ground pepper to taste
Soak cedar paper in water for 10 minutes before using. Cut the fish according to desired size. Sprinkle the thyme, salt and pepper, add olive oil and rub the seasoning to coat the fish. Place a bed of fennel and zucchini on the cedar paper, place fish on top of that. Fold the paper over and tie it with a cotton twine. Preheat over to 400ËšF, place wrapped fish on a rack (with a drip tray under just in case). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of fish. Serve immediately.
Ginger Apple Dip
1 Granny Smith Apple, quartered
1 cucumber, sliced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, sliced
3-4 sprigs fresh mint
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Splash of water (if needed)
Blend all ingredients together until creamy. Serve chilled.
Flounder Filet
1 zucchini, sliced in fingers (batonnet)
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp mediterranean thyme
Salt and Freshly ground pepper to taste
Soak cedar paper in water for 10 minutes before using. Cut the fish according to desired size. Sprinkle the thyme, salt and pepper, add olive oil and rub the seasoning to coat the fish. Place a bed of fennel and zucchini on the cedar paper, place fish on top of that. Fold the paper over and tie it with a cotton twine. Preheat over to 400ËšF, place wrapped fish on a rack (with a drip tray under just in case). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of fish. Serve immediately.
Ginger Apple Dip
1 Granny Smith Apple, quartered
1 cucumber, sliced
1/2 inch fresh ginger, sliced
3-4 sprigs fresh mint
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Splash of water (if needed)
Blend all ingredients together until creamy. Serve chilled.
Comments 6
That looks so so good. Love your pictures as usual beautiful.
Beautiful Dish
I love your photos, and the flounder looks so tempting. Nice work Anita
Wow!!! what a beautiul blog!!love fish I made your recipe today and my family love it. Thanks for share
Thank you Sylvia, glad to hear your family enjoyed it.
A very novel approach and nice to see something other than salmon being used with the cedar. Love fish and looking forward to trying this method.