Whole Salt Baked Fish Recipes

WHOLE ROAST FISH BAKED IN SALT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet large enough to hold the snapper.
• Rinse the snapper thoroughly, inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with the rosemary, thyme, coriander seeds, and bay leaves.
• On the baking sheet, spread about 1/2 pound of the salt in an even layer that is slightly longer and wider than the snapper. Place the fish on the salt layer and cover completely with the remaining salt.
• Bake until a instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the fish reads 130/, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Brush away as much salt as possible. Using two dessert spoons, remove the top fillets and transfer to a warm plate. Lift off the bones, then transfer the bottom fillets to another plate. Serve immediately, with the extra-virgin olive oil and lemon wedges passed on the side so each diner can season their fish as desired.

WHOLE SALT BAKED SALMON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Season cavity of salmon with Maldon salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with the fennel leaves and stalks.
• Fill the bottom of a large roasting or baking pan with a 1/2-inch layer of salt. Place the fish on its side, on top of the salt. Pile the remaining sea salt over the fish, completely covering it by at least 1/2 inch all over. If the head and tail protrude from the pan, place a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum under tail and head to prevent salt from falling into your oven. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over the surface of the salt.
• Transfer roasting pan to oven, and bake salmon until cooked through, 45 to 60 minutes. To test if the fish is cooked, poke a metal skewer or kitchen fork through the salt and into the fish where the fish is the thickest. Pull the skewer out: If the skewer is warm to the touch, then the salmon is cooked. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let rest until cool enough to handle.
• Using your fingers, break off the salt crust from the top of the fish; the skin should have stuck to the salt and should peel away as you do this. If the skin does not pull away when you remove the salt, use a paring knife to gently lift the skin away from the fillet. Carefully lift the entire fish out of the pan. Peel away any remaining skin and salt stuck to the underside; place the fish on a cutting board.
• Cut the fillets off the bones, and serve at room temperature, garnished with Salsa Verde.

WHOLE FISH BAKED IN SALT

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• 2. Rinse the fish with cold water, pat it dry and refrigerate until just before cooking.
• 3. Pour a fine layer of salt in the bottom of an oven-proof baking dish that is just slightly larger than the fish. Lay two bay leaves on the salt, then place the fish on the bay leaves. Place the peppercorns inside the belly cavity of the fish, then top the fish with the remaining 2 bay leaves. Pour the remaining salt over the fish to cover it, leaving the tail fin exposed if necessary.
• 3. Place the fish on the middle rack in the center of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. You cannot test the fish for doneness - you simply have to trust the timing. Remove the fish from the oven and gently crack off the layer of salt, removing as much of it as you can. Most of the skin will come off the fish as well - what doesn't come off when you remove the salt you need to remove gently, using a sharp knife.
• 4. Remove the fillets divide the fish among four slightly warmed dinner plates. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the chervil, if desired.

SALT-BAKED FISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine the sea salt and egg whites until the mixture looks like wet sand.
• Stuff the branzino with the rosemary, parsley, garlic and lemon slices, then pack the outside tightly with the salt mixture. Put the branzino on a baking sheet.
• Bake until the salt turns golden brown, about 15 minutes. Place on a serving dish.
• Bring the branzino to the table for a few oohs and aahs, crack open the salt with a knife handle, brush away the salt, fillet the fish and serve.

WHOLE FISH BAKED IN SEA SALT

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 450°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil, leaving generous overhang. Combine first 3 ingredients in small skillet. Toast spices over medium heat until beginning to pop, stirring frequently, about 9 minutes. Cool spices. Coarsely crush in mortar with pestle or in heavy resealable plastic bag with mallet.
• Rinse fish inside and out; pat dry. Sprinkle all of spice mixture in fish cavity. Stuff with leek and lemon slices.
• Whisk egg whites and water in large bowl to blend. Add salt. Stir until salt is evenly moistened. Spread 2 cups salt mixture in 4-inch-wide, 12-inch-long strip (or use more to equal length of fish) on prepared sheet. Place fish on salt. Cover fish completely with remaining salt mixture, pressing to seal.
• Bake fish 25 minutes. Let stand in crust 10 minutes.
• Using large knife, rap crust sharply to crack. Brush salt from fish. Cut into portions and serve, passing extra-virgin olive oil and lemon wedges alongside.

MMMM SALT ENCRUSTED BAKED FISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Line a pan 2 to 3 inches longer than the fish with aluminum foil (I have used cookie sheets covered in aluminum foil with aluminum foil lips for larger fish).
• Pour the eggs whites into a large bowl. Add salt--goal is consistency of wet sand.
• Layer 1 to 2 inches in pan. Make this layer several inches larger than the fish.
• Rinse fish & pat dry, then lay onto salt.
• Sprinkle 1/2 T zest over area fish will rest.
• Stuff fish with herbs &/or diced lemon (pith removed from lemon first).
• Lay fish onto salt bed, laying so that abdominal incision is covered (to avoid being filled with salt).
• Pack wet salt mixture on & around fish. Pat down gently.
• Bake 40 minutes (I add 10 -12 minutes for each additional pound of fish).
• Remove from oven & let sit for 10 to 15 minutes (perfect for last minute table arranging).
• Crack the salt shell with a mallet or heavy spoon & peel off chunks of shell to expose the fish.
• Inhale! Admire the color of the fish (red snapper, sheepshead, strawberry grouper & Spanish mackerel all look brilliant) then lift top fillet from bone & serve (some small bone from fins will be in fillets). Don't forget the cheeks! Mmm!
• Lift tail to remove back bone (often with the head) to get to the other side.
• Clean up is to lift the foil & throw salt crust, bones & skin away.