Heart-Healthy Salmon En Papillote Recipe

In the Eating by Heart series, chef Colombe Jacobsen will be your guide to making healthy food choices. She will demonstrate how to make heart healthy recipes that don't involve extra sodium, sugar and fat.

In episode 3 of Eating by Heart, Colombe Jacobsen demonstrates the perfect way to make salmon en papillote. Because salmon is filled with Omega-3 fatty acids, it's ideal for a heart healthy diet. 

Salmon en papillote is a fresh, easy-to-make dish that is great to serve at dinner parties, as every guest will have their own little pouch of fish. Colombe shows you how to make the individual packages by cutting hearts out of parchment paper. Next you will rub each salmon filet with olive oil and lay it on one side of the parchment heart. Sprinkle the salmon filet with sea salt and any fresh herbs you have on hand, such as parsley, thyme and tarragon. Next add freshly squeezed lemon juice for flavor and acidity. 

This recipe is very versatile, because you can add flavors like miso or soy, and you can even put vegetables or whole grains underneath the salmon filet. Once you get the hang of the parchment paper pouch technique, you can use it all the time with different flavor combinations. 

The next step is to crease and fold the parchment paper, creating a seal so that you can steam the salmon in the pouch. Place each pouch of salmon on a baking sheet. Now your salmon en papillote is ready to put in the oven. It only needs to bake for about 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon filet. The salmon will be nice and flavorful, since the parchment paper helps keep the fish from drying out. 

This salmon en papillote recipe is low fat and calorie. Even though it uses only a minimal amount of oil, it's full of flavors. The heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids are just a bonus of this delicious and simple dish!