Salmon papillotes with asparagus and new potatoes

I came up with this recipe for papillotes one spring evening when I was craving a complete meal that would cook itself while I did something else. The concept is brilliant: everything cooks together in its little parchment paper pouch, the flavors mingle, and nothing can go wrong.

What I particularly like here is the combination of the salmon, which remains incredibly tender, the asparagus, which retains its crispness, and the small new potatoes, which become meltingly soft as they absorb the cooking juices. The tarragon adds that aniseed note so characteristic of spring.

You can adapt this recipe to your liking: replace the salmon with cod, the asparagus with peas or broad beans. The important thing is to respect the cooking times so that each element is perfect.

It's also a perfect recipe for entertaining: you prepare your papillotes in advance, pop them in the oven, and that's it. Everyone opens their papillote at the table; it's convivial, and the aromas that escape always make an impression!

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Salmon papillotes with asparagus and new potatoes

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: main courseKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: easy

Portions

4

portions

Preparation time

25

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

385

kcal

Total time

50

minutes

Tarragon-flavored papillotes that cook in the oven in 25 minutes. The salmon remains moist, the asparagus crisp, and the tender potatoes absorb all the aromas.

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Ingredients

• 4 salmon steaks, 120g each

• 500g of green asparagus

• 400g of new potatoes

• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh tarragon

• 4 tablespoons of olive oil

• 2 yellow lemons

• 4 knobs of butter

• Sea salt, freshly ground pepper

Preparation steps

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash the new potatoes without peeling them and cut them into 5mm thick slices.
• Break off the base of the asparagus and cut them into pieces of about 4cm.
• Cut out 4 large rectangles of parchment paper. Brush each rectangle with a little olive oil.
• Arrange the potato slices in the center of each foil packet, season lightly with salt. Add the asparagus pieces on top.
• Place a salmon fillet on each bed of vegetables. Drizzle with the juice of half a lemon per papillote.
• Sprinkle with chopped tarragon, add a knob of butter to each steak. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Seal each papillote tightly by folding the edges over and pinching them well.
• Bake for 25 minutes. Serve immediately; each person opens their foil packet at the table.

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 350g)

📝 Notes

The trick to successful papillotes: don't overload with vegetables and make sure the potatoes are cut thinly enough to cook within the allotted time.

💡 Chef's Tips

Make sure your foil packets are airtight to prevent steam from escaping. If you don't have tarragon, chives or dill work very well too.

🔄 Variations

• Mediterranean version: add cherry tomatoes and replace the tarragon with basil
• For a more elaborate version: slip a few slices of button mushrooms into each parchment packet

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.