Salt-Baked Fish

Name: Salt-Baked Fish
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 1 whole fish (2 to 3 pounds), such as red snapper or sea bass, scaled and cleaned; 3 pounds kosher salt; 4 large egg whites; 1/2 bunch fresh thyme, plus 2 tablespoons leaves; 2 lemons, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley; 4 dried bay leaves

January 26, 2012

The effect of salt-baking is similar to baking (or rather steaming) in parchment paper (en papilotte; see page 215): the salt absorbs steam and becomes a hard shell when baked, creating a vacuum inside that seals in flavor and moisture (without making the fish taste overly salty). As when cooking en papillote, you can layer the fish with aromatics—lemons and herbs as in this recipe, or ginger, scallions, and lemongrass for Asian flavors—for more complexity. Since the skin will not have crisped in the oven, you will need to remove it before serving the fish. Before doing this, you might want to invite your guests into the kitchen for a glimpse of the fish in its salt crust (it’s an impressive sight) and perhaps to assist you in cracking it open.

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