Ingredients

• 1 pound sole fillets, raw
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 4 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 40 fresh snap beans
• 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 fresh lemons
• aluminum foil or parchment paper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. To prepare using parchment paper (in papillote), fold parchment paper in half and cut into a large “half heart” shape. (Remember making Valentine’s cards in grade school?)
3. Unfold paper and place one flounder filet, skin side down on one side of the heart-shaped parchment paper, leaving enough room around the edges to completely seal. Season each filet with 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon basil leaves. Place one teaspoon of unsalted butter on top of each filet. Set fish aside.
4. Trim snap beans. Parboil snap beans; set aside. 
5. Remove seeds from bell peppers. Finely dice peppers and onions. Mince garlic cloves.
6. Combine yellow and green peppers, onion and garlic in a bowl. Squeeze juice from lemons into the bowl. Mix well. Spoon about 1/4 of the mixture on the top of each filet. Place 10 snap beans aroundeach fillets.
7. To close parchment paper, fold the other side of the heart shape over to cover ingredients and crimp together to seal. Be sure to leave some room inside the bundle for heat expansion, which will happen as the fish bakes. Make sure it is airtight
8. Bake for 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. After cooking, cut a U-shape in the top or the paper and fold open to serve.

Helpful hints

• Use foil if parchment paper is unavailable.
• Forty fresh snap beans is equal to 2 cups, if cut into 2” pieces.
• Parboil means to cook partially by boiling for a brief period.
• Any vegetable can be used in place of snap beans, such as: julienne yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, snow peas, etc. Thicker, tougher vegetables such as snap beans and snow peas need to be parboiled before steaming with fish to ensure doneness. Softer vegetables, including squash, can be substituted without parboiling.
• Sole is also known as flounder. Substitutes include halibut and cod; both are just as delicious.
• If available, substitute 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil for dried basil. For optimal flavor add it immediately after opening parchment instead of before baking the fish.