The Easiest Way to Cook Fish? In Parchment Paper

The easiest way to cook fish is also a delicious dinner for two

Add this to your bag of tricks: cooking flaky sea bass en papillote, spinach-tomato salad included, to make the perfect dinner for two.

To achieve the elusive perfectly cooked piece of seafood, simply use a piece of parchment paper (which gets cut into a heart, no less) to wrap up your meal into a pouch of promises. The parchment also acts as a protective barrier from the oven's heat to help prevent overcooking the fish, extending the delicate line between sushi and rubber. Egg white acts as a glue to seal the parchment, trapping in the steam from a dash of white wine, which also causes the packet to puff like a miniature balloon.

After a brief sojourn in the oven, you have a complete meal in a bag. It'll deflate quickly, so immediately use a knife to open it up to reveal a fragrant puff of warm herbs, plus a warm, cooked salad and the flakiest fish ever.

This method is also a refreshingly light way of cooking fish, meaning you won't feel weighed down when it's time to . . . well, you know.

Get more ways to cook fish in parchment:
• Use Step-by-Step Photos to Guide the Way
• Swap Sea Bass for Sole
• Practice Your Knife Skills on Julienned Vegetables