Barramundi in Parchment with Lemons, Dates and Toasted Almonds

This recipe is sponsored by Australis Barramundi. I am a longtime customer of their fish, and I am very excited for the opportunity to collaborate with them. As always, all content and opinions are my own. 

Hey there! I hope you had a great weekend. It was pouring in NYC yesterday, so we spent a good chunk of the afternoon and evening continuing to furnish our new apartment. Travis assembled two new shelving units, and I searched the web for a few more items that we need (while also offering him moral support, of course!).

Because I knew we’d have a couple of weeks here in NYC before our movers arrived with our belongings from California, I tried to photograph and prepare a few posts for you guys while we were still in Los Angeles. I’m really excited to finally share my second barramundi recipe in collaboration with Australis Barramundi! If you missed the first recipe, Barramundi with a Tomato, Olive, White Wine Sauce, you can find it here.

For this recipe, I used a different cooking method than pan-searing because I wanted to show you how versatile this fish is. I cooked the barramundi fillets in parchment paper, which is a delicious and healthy way to cook white fish. This cooking method allows you to use very little oil, and if done correctly, results in perfectly flakey and juicy fish. If you’ve never cooked fish in parchment paper before, don’t worry! It’s very easy, and you’ll be a pro in no time.

The fish is cooked on top of a bed of baby spinach, so there’s no need to make a separate side dish. You have a complete meal just in the parchment paper alone! I prepared a mixture of chopped dates, toasted almonds, and lemon zest to serve with the barramundi. It adds a nice hint of sweetness and varying textures to the dish.

There are so many delicious ways to prepare barramundi, and that’s why it’s one of my favorite fish. One of the best parts about this recipe is that it takes less than 25 minutes from start to finish. I love quick and easy weeknight meals that appear far more complicated than they really are!

Barramundi in Parchment with Lemons, Dates and Toasted Almonds

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

22 mins

 

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients

• Two 6 oz. barramundi fillets
• 1 whole lemon
• 1 medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 oz. baby spinach
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped
• 4 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Dry the barramundi fillets with a paper towel and sprinkle each piece generously with salt and pepper. Set aside. Zest the entire lemon and then cut half of the lemon into 4-5 thin slices. Juice the remaining half of the lemon into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Lay two large pieces of parchment paper (about 12" x 12") side by side. Divide the sliced shallots and baby spinach between each piece of parchment, and sprinkle the spinach and shallots with a pinch of salt and pepper. Lay the barramundi fillets on top of the spinach and shallots, and top each fillet with the thin lemon slices. Drizzle about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over the fillets. One sheet at a time, close the parchment paper packets: bring two opposite sides of the paper together and fold them together several times to create a tight seal. Then fold up each end of the paper to create a tight seal on all sides. It's fine if the seals loosen slightly in this process.
4. Place the parchment paper packets on a large baking sheet and bake the barramundi on the middle rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is tender and flakes easily.
5. While the fish is cooking, bring a small skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and once hot add the chopped almonds. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the dates and cook until warmed through, stirring regularly, about an additional 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, or to taste.
6. Open the barramundi packets and transfer the fish, spinach, shallots, and lemon slices to two plates. Top each piece of barramundi with the date-almond mixture and serve immediately.

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