Fruit and Vegetable Parcels

Here are some ideas for packet and parcel cooking with fruit and vegetables – ideal if you are getting ready to feed a hungry crowd. They can be assembled up to a couple of hours in advance and cooked as needed in the oven.

Ingredients

Vegetable

Rosemary Potato Packets
4 x 5ml spoons olive oil
400g very thinly sliced potatoes
4 sprigs rosemary
black pepper (optional)

Vegetable Medley
4 x 5ml spoons olive oil
8 baby sweetcorn
8 spring onions
2 medium courgettes
1 bulb fennel

Get Your Greens
4 x 5ml spoons olive oil
200g leeks
400g broccoli
400g Savoy cabbage

Fruit

Papillote Peaches
4 ripe peaches or nectarines
zest of 1 orange
4 x 5ml spoons orange juice

Brambled Pears
4 pears
150g blackberries
4 x 5ml spoons Demerara sugar (optional)

Banana Bonanza
4 bananas
4 x 5ml spoons Demerara sugar (optional)

Equipment

Weighing scales
Vegetable peeler
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Foil or baking parchment
5ml spoon
Grater
Juice squeezer
Spatula
Baking sheet
Oven gloves

Instructions

To make the Vegetable Parcels

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan or gas mark 6.
2. Cut out 4 squares of foil or baking parchment, approximately 25cm square.
3. Place 1 x 5ml spoon of olive oil in the middle of each square of foil or baking parchment. Using the tips of your fingers, spread it around the foil to make a greased area.
4. Wash the vegetables and cut into bite-sized pieces. Share equally between the 4 pieces of foil.
5. Add a sprig of rosemary and black pepper (if using) when making potato parcels.
6. Bring the edges of the foil or baking parchment together over the top of the vegetables and crunch them together to make a sealed parcel with enough room for the steam to circulate inside.
7. Place on a baking sheet in the oven and cook for 15–20 minutes (or until soft).

To make the Fruit Parcels

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan or gas mark 6.
2. Cut out 4 squares of foil or baking parchment, approximately 25cm square.
3. Wash your chosen fruit. Slice the peaches or nectarines, pears or bananas into thin slices (removing the stones or cores).
4. Divide the fruit between the sheets of foil or baking parchment and add any additional ingredients. Form into parcels in the same way as for vegetable parcels.
5. Place on a baking sheet in the oven and cook for 15–20 minutes (or until soft).

Skills used include:
Weighing, washing, measuring, chopping, grating, squeezing and  baking.

Top Tips

• Take care when opening the parcels as steam will have built
  up inside.
• Add a pinch of dried mixed herbs or 1 x 5ml spoon of chopped
  fresh herbs (parsley, chives or mint) to each vegetable parcel.

Something to try next time

• Make different parcels with a variety of seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Prepare now, eat later

• Most of the parcels, except for the potato version, can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored ready to cook in the fridge.
• To make the potato parcels in advance, blanch the sliced potatoes to prevent them from going brown. Cover the slices in cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes and drain. Continue to make the parcels in the same way.
• Sprinkle the bananas and pears with a little lemon juice to prevent them from going brown.