Salmon Al Cartoccio

The best of healthy Italian cooking!

Al cartoccio is Italian for packet cooking. The French call this en pallion. It is basically a method of cooking fish through steam in its own juices and zest, with some vegetables on the side. Fish cooks well with this method but it is a very delicate protein, so it needs some protection from the pressure cooker's turbulence. This is why the fish is wrapped in foil or oven paper (or a double layer of both).

Instructions:

1. Lay the ingredients on the parchment paper in this order: a swirl of oil, a layer of potatoes, salt, pepper and oil, fish fillets, salt, pepper and oil, herbs, onion rings, lemon slices, salt, and oil.
2. Fold the packet. Wrap the packet snugly in tinfoil.
3. Pour two cups of water in the pressure cooker. Place the steamer basket in position and lay the packet on the steamer.
4. Cook two fillets at a time. For taller/larger cookers, two layers of steamer baskets can be used at once.
5. Close the pressure cooker top. Turn to high heat, and let it reach pressure. Then, turn down the heat to the lowest setting.
6. Cooking time should be between 12 to 15 minutes, after which you can release the vapour but do NOT open the top just yet.
7. Let the packets of fish sit inside the locked pan for another 5 minutes.
8. Open the top and take out the packets. Take off the tinfoil and serve.

Notes:

1. The recipe works well with any thawed and drained white fish fillets, like grouper.
2. You can use white wine instead of lemons.
3. Feel free to experiment with different herbs and spices as you wish.
4. Make sure that the packets have enough space between each other during cooking.
5. Use a mandoline slicer to achieve perfectly thin slices of potatoes and onions.