In French, en papillote means to wrap and cook food in an air-tight, parchment paper package. It is considered a moist-heat cooking method because it is the steam from within the package that cooks the food. Traditionally, the sealed package was wrapped in parchment and baked in the oven; however, nowadays, the term is also used for other applications. Food can be wrapped in a variety of different items (banana leaves, pandan leaves, foil, etc.) and placed inside a steaming vessel or over the grill to cook.

When preparing en papillote, a liquid, along with herbs, aromatics and/or seasonings, are added to the food. The food is then tightly wrapped in parchment paper, foil or leaves. As the package heats, the added liquid, along with the food’s own juices, creates steam. In turn, the food inside can create its own sauce during cooking, which can contain very intense and delicious flavors.