3 cups fine sea salt (1 3/4 lb), preferably unrefined
2 to 4 large egg whites
2 (1-lb) whole branzini (European sea bass) or small sea bass, cleaned, heads and tails left intact
6 fresh parsley sprigs
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 garlic cloves, sliced
4 lemon slices, halved
Special equipment: parchment paper
Place salt in a bowl and add egg whites 1 at a time, stirring, until mixture looks like wet sand (the number will vary).
Rinse fish and pat dry. Place fish on a parchment-lined large baking sheet and divide remaining ingredients between cavities of fish.
Firmly pat half of salt evenly over each fish to cover fish completely.
Bake fish in middle of oven until salt is just starting to turn golden at edges, 15 to 18 minutes (see cooks' note, below).
Crack salt away from fish and discard, then carefully lift fish from bones.
From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Salt-Baked-Branzino-105115
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Whole Fish Baked in Salt
One whole fish weighing about 1 1/2 pounds, cleaned, head, tail, and scales left on
10 whole Tellicherry peppercorns
4 bay leaves
limes
2 pounds coarse salt (I recommend sea salt)
2 egg whites
Extra virgin olive oil for serving
Chervil sprigs for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Rinse the fish with cold water, pat it dry and refrigerate until just before cooking.
(mix the two egg whites with the salt to make a mixture - this allows it to come off more easily)
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 and lime 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.
From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Whole-Fish-Baked-in-Salt-104118
10 whole Tellicherry peppercorns
4 bay leaves
limes
2 pounds coarse salt (I recommend sea salt)
2 egg whites
Extra virgin olive oil for serving
Chervil sprigs for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Rinse the fish with cold water, pat it dry and refrigerate until just before cooking.
(mix the two egg whites with the salt to make a mixture - this allows it to come off more easily)
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 and lime 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.
From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Whole-Fish-Baked-in-Salt-104118
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)