A useful way to prepare smaller pieces of fish fillets is en papillotte, where the food is enclosed in a parcel of parchment or tinfoil then cooked in a hot oven. The thin casing steams the ingredients in their sauce or stock, filling the package with an aromatic, moist heat.
There are a few rules of thumb for cooking en papillotte ("in parchment"). Firstly, make sure you have enough tinfoil or parchment to work with and avoid tearing the material, since this will slow down the steaming process and allow the juices to escape. Seal the parcel securely, folding the material over and over to lock it tightly. Lastly, place a tray in the oven ahead of cooking, as this will speed up the process, just as you'd heat a pan before using it.
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