Salt-Roasted Whole Fish

Name: Salt-Roasted Whole Fish
Yield: serves 6 as a main course
Ingredients: 3 pounds (one box) plus 3 cups kosher salt; 6 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy; 2 teaspoons fennel seeds; 1 (4-pound) whole sea bass, arctic char, tuna, or salmon, cleaned and scaled; 1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns; 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 3 sprigs rosemary or thyme or fennel fronds; 1 orange, zested in strips and flesh cut into thin slices, plus more orange slices for garnish; 1 tablespoon olive oil; Green Olive Tapenade (page 192)

January 24, 2012

Salt-roasting is a traditional Mediterranean technique for cooking fish. The salt crust creates an almost impenetrable barrier that traps the moisture and allows the natural juices of the fish to remain—the salt never penetrates into the food itself. Salt-roasting is a great hybrid of steaming and roasting, and can be used to cook meat, poultry, and vegetables.

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