ChefSteps is a team of chefs, writers, and food lovers who develop recipes, techniques, and guides to help people cook better at home.

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You put a whole fish in the microwave?! Blasphemy! What has the world come to? Really, ChefSteps?Take a breath. Let us explain. The microwave can be a tool for quick reheats of leftovers. sure. But if you know how to cook, the microwave can truly be a great cooking tool. When you score a whole fish, flavor it, and wrap it in plastic wrap, you are setting up a steaming station. This is akin to the technique called en papillote, which means wrapping a fish in parchment paper, furling it tight at the top, and baking it in the oven for awhile. You can also steam a whole fish in a steamer pot you have to buy specifically for that purpose. All three techniques yield a tender flesh on the fish. However, which one is faster in producing perfectly cooked fish, light and bright with herbs and spices, steamed in a pillow of aroma in 5 minutes? The microwave! Which of those three techniques requires the fewest gadgets and therefore fewer dishes to wash afterwards? That&#39;s right—the microwave. Don&#39;t be put off by the idea of steaming a whole fish and settle for fillets instead. Steaming the entire fish helps keep the flavor and moisture from the bones, the head, and the skin. All of these parts contribute to flavor and moisture in the form of fat and dissolved collagen. So be daring! Buy a whole fish. Follow this recipe. Steam it in the microwave. Dinner in less than five minutes. Daring is rarely this delicious.