Salt-baked Sea Bass with Lemon and Herb
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Salt-baked Sea Bass with Lemon and Herb
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Yield/Serves:
Makes 2 Servings
- 1 (2-pound) whole sea bass, cleaned, gutted, and scaled
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 5 sprigs fresh mint and parsley
- 3 cups coarse sea salt
- 2 egg whites
- ½ cup white wine
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Stuff the cavity of the whole fish with the lemon slices, garlic slices, and mint and parsley sprigs.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the salt, egg whites, and wine. Place half of the salt mixture in a 12-inch baking dish with at least 3-inch-high sides.
Place the fish on its side in the baking pan. Cover the fish with the remaining salt mixture. Bake for about 15 minutes. Using the back of a spoon, crack the salt crust and pierce the meat of the fish with a paring knife to make sure that the fish is fully cooked. The flesh should be opaque and flake easily.
Alternatively, once the fish is stuffed, make a bed in the shape of the fish on a baking sheet or cast iron pan about 1 inch thick. Place the fish on the salt layer and pack the remaining salt mixture on top, and around the fish. The fish can be baked, or cooked on a grill set to medium heat with the lid closed for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, the salt crust can be cracked open and brushed off with a pastry brush.
Stuff the cavity of the whole fish with the lemon slices, garlic slices, and mint and parsley sprigs.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the salt, egg whites, and wine. Place half of the salt mixture in a 12-inch baking dish with at least 3-inch-high sides.
Place the fish on its side in the baking pan. Cover the fish with the remaining salt mixture. Bake for about 15 minutes. Using the back of a spoon, crack the salt crust and pierce the meat of the fish with a paring knife to make sure that the fish is fully cooked. The flesh should be opaque and flake easily.
Alternatively, once the fish is stuffed, make a bed in the shape of the fish on a baking sheet or cast iron pan about 1 inch thick. Place the fish on the salt layer and pack the remaining salt mixture on top, and around the fish. The fish can be baked, or cooked on a grill set to medium heat with the lid closed for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, the salt crust can be cracked open and brushed off with a pastry brush.