Halibut Papillotes with Pickled Cucumbers
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Halibut fillets steamed in parchment with tangy pickled Lebanese cucumbers. Quick marinade with vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and chili flakes. Wrapped airtight in foil and cooked on medium heat grill for just over ten minutes. Balanced play of mild fish and spicy, crunchy pickles.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
35 min
Servings:
4 servings
#seafood
#grilling
#pickling
#fish recipes
#papillote
Halibut’s firm but mild flesh. Needs something bright, crisp. Cucumbers, pickled in vinegar mixture, sharp with hits of chili flakes. Marinade shortened, quantities bumped. Slight sugar increase softens heat. Cook time nudged up, balancing fish thickness and cucumber moisture. Using foil and parchment traps steam, steams fish gently, keeps flavors distinct but mingled. No fuss, no cream, just the fish and the tangy crunch. Lebanese cucumbers thin as paper, slick with vinegar. Visual contrast too—the white fish nestled in emerald slices. Grill smoke adds earthiness. Simple layering, in and out of heat. Just enough time to crisp edges, keep center tender. Salt, pepper subtle but crucial. The technique matters as much as ingredients.
Ingredients
Pickled cucumbers
- 170 ml water
- 170 ml white vinegar
- 170 ml sugar
- 3 ml salt
- 3 ml crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 Lebanese cucumbers thinly sliced using mandoline
Fish
- 860 g halibut, cut into 4 fillets
- Salt and pepper to taste
About the ingredients
Water and vinegar equal parts hold key. Not too sour, not too weak. Sugar tweaks heat balance from crushed red pepper flakes, also adding a sheen to cucumbers. Salt’s minimal—just enough to draw out flavor without drowning. Lebanese cucumbers chosen for their slim shape, thin skin, delicate crunch. Mandoline slicing critical; thin slices absorb marinade quickly, texture stays crisp after cooking. Halibut cut thicker to avoid overcooking but thin enough to cook evenly in papillote. Salt, pepper done just before sealing to avoid drawing moisture prematurely. Parchment’s barrier prevents foil taste seeping in, keeps juice locked inside. Doubling foil and parchment combines sturdy and breathable layers, traps steam while allowing easy handling on grill.
Method
Pickled cucumbers
- 1 Boil water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper flakes in small pot. Remove from heat immediately.
- 2 Add thin cucumber slices to hot liquid. Cover and let steep for 45 minutes. Drain well.
Fish
- 3 Heat grill on medium-high setting.
- 4 On two large foil sheets, place a square of parchment paper.
- 5 Spread half the drained cucumbers in square matching fish size.
- 6 Lay halibut pieces over cucumber slices. Season with salt and pepper.
- 7 Cover fish with remaining cucumbers evenly. Fold parchment and foil tightly into papillotes.
- 8 Grill packets about 14 minutes, depending on thickness. Fish should flake easily when done.
Cooking tips
Start with hot pickling liquid poured over cucumber slices, immediately off heat to prevent mushy cucumbers. Time shortened slightly from original, still enough to infuse flavor but keeps cucumbers lively. Drain well to avoid watery packets. Grill preheated to medium-high—not too hot or fish will dry out, not too low or cooking drags, loses texture. Constructing papillotes with layered foil and parchment squares prevents tearing, eases clean-up. Layer cucumber base first, fish next, then cucumber topping—this helps fish stay moist and flavor balanced. Seal packets carefully, pressing edges tightly. Cook roughly 14 minutes—adding couple minutes to original to ensure thicker fillets cooked through. Rest papillotes briefly before serving to let flavors settle and prevent steam burns when opening.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Use mandoline for paper thin cucumber slices. Soak in hot pickling liquid off-heat to avoid soggy texture. Drain well, watery slices dilute flavor and steam inside papillote. Timing crucial; 45 minutes pickling enough to infuse but keep crunch. Double layering parchment and foil prevents foil taste contamination plus traps steam evenly. Don't skip salt and pepper seasoning of fillets right before sealing. Draws out moisture too early ruins texture.
- 💡 Grill heat on medium-high but watch carefully. Too hot dries fish, too low drags cooking and mushy result. Thickness of halibut matters; thicker than usual prevents overcooking but must cook through in about 14 minutes. Seal packets airtight; pressing edges tightly traps steam. Steam cooks gently, combining smoky grill notes with bright cucumber acidity.
- 💡 Pickling liquid fractions important—equal parts water and vinegar balance acidity and sharpness. Sugar added to soften heat from crushed red pepper flakes. Salt kept minimal to draw flavors without overpowering. Lebanese cucumbers chosen for slim profile, thin skins absorb marinade quickly yet stay crisp after cooking. Avoid thicker cucumbers or slicing too thick on mandoline prevents quick pickling.
- 💡 Layering technique key: cucumber base, fish, then top with remaining cucumber slices. Keeps fish moist, flavors well-distributed. Parchment sheet underneath fish blocks foil taste, holds juices so fish steams not grills dry. Rest papillotes briefly after grill before opening. Avoids escaping steam burns plus flavors settle, texture evens out.
- 💡 Quick marinade, short steep. Avoid long soaking—over-pickled cucumbers lose crunch and become too sour. Immediate off-heat pouring preserves cucumber snap. Drain well, no excess marinade in papillote packet, maintains correct moisture balance. Grill adds subtle smoke, not overpowering. Salt and pepper subtle but essential; add just before sealing to keep juices intact.
Common questions
How thin should cucumber slices be?
Thin as paper; mandoline slicing crucial. Thick slices soak uneven, get soggy. Thin allows quick pickling, keeps crunch inside papillote steam. Balance absorb and texture.
Can I use other cucumbers?
Possible but texture changes. Lebanese cucumbers slim, thin skin. Regular thicker heavily seeded ones don’t pickle or steam well, might get too watery or soft. Adjust slice thickness and pickling time if swapping.
What if fish overcooks?
Overcooked halibut flakes dry, tough. Avoid by thicker cuts, medium-high grill, airtight foil-parchment seals for steam. Use timer, check flakes gently. Alternative: lower heat longer time, but risks soggy cucumbers.
How to store leftovers?
Remove fish from foil quickly, refrigerate in airtight container. Cucumbers keep separately if possible. Lasts 1-2 days best. Reheat gently in foil on low grill or oven to avoid drying fish. Avoid microwave; texture suffers.
