Active Time

　　1 hr

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hr

　　It appears on your plate wrapped up like a present. But there's more to this dish than pretty presentation. When you bake salmon, potatoes, and fresh herb-sprinkled vegetables in parchment paper, something magical happens. Nestled in the package, the ingredients cook in their own juices. And when you snip the papillote open, dinner reveals itself in a cloud of aromatic steam.

　　Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　1 small fennel bulb, stalks discarded

　　3 medium carrots (1/2 lb)

　　1/2 lb small red potatoes

　　1/2 cup Kalamata olives, slivered

　　2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest

　　4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

　　2 large garlic cloves, minced

　　3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 (1 1/2-lb) piece center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and fish cut into 4 square pieces

　　

Special Equipment

a mandoline or other manual slicer, 4 (15-inch) squares parchment paper kitchen string

　　

Step 1

Place a large baking sheet on bottom rack of oven and remove any other racks. Preheat oven to 400°F.

　　

Step 2

Halve fennel bulb lengthwise. Remove most of core, leaving enough intact to keep layers together when sliced.

　　

Step 3

Using manual slicer, cut fennel bulb (lengthwise), carrots (diagonally), and potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices, keeping vegetables separate.

　　

Step 4

Blanch vegetables, separately, in salted boiling water: fennel 2 minutes, carrots 1 minute, potatoes 2 minutes. Transfer fennel and carrots with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water, then drain well. Drain potatoes.

　　

Step 5

Toss fennel and carrots with olives, zest, thyme, half of garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 6

Toss potatoes with remaining oil and garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 7

Divide potato mixture among centers of parchment squares. Season salmon with salt and pepper and place on top of potatoes, then top salmon with fennel mixture.

　　

Step 8

Gather sides of parchment up over fennel mixture to form a pouch, leaving no openings, and tie tightly with string. 3Place packages directly on hot baking sheet in oven and cook 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　•If your parchment paper is less than 15 inches wide, crisscross 8 (15-inch-long) sheets to approximate 4 (15-inch) squares.

　　•Foil can be substituted for parchment. Crimp edges tightly to close; do not tie.