How to make
Suitable for roasting in salt crust are white fish with firm but at the same time tender meat. For example, sea bream, European bass or red snapper, which I have chosen in this case, are ideal for this purpose. This is an extremely tasty fish.
Whichever of these types you choose, you can use it for this recipe. However, the condition is that the fish is no less than 12 oz (350 g) (ideal weight would be 1 lb (450 g)), if you are going to make 2 for individual portions.
You can also choose instead of two, one fish larger than a kilogram or more. Then the baking time will increase, as well as the amount of salt.
So far, we have learned about the type of fish and its weight and the next important condition is how best to prepare it.
Cleaning the fish, which we will cook in a salt crust, consists only in removing the entrails and washing it. You don't need anything else, not even to remove the flakes - don't worry, they will stick to the salt afterwards. Well, of course we sometimes buy fish with the scales already removed, but if not, it's not a problem.
Prepare the salt by pouring it into a large bowl and mixing it with the egg white - it helps to firm up during baking and a nice crust is formed from it, under which our juicy fish will stew and cook perfectly.
Cover a tray with baking paper (a convenient way to clean it easier and prevent it from sticking).
Cover it with a fine layer of salt or maybe without salt on the bottom, it doesn't matter.
Place the fish next to each other at a short distance and put a crushed clove of garlic and a piece of butter in their bellies. Cover them tightly with salt, by pressing the thick layer.
Leave the head clear or we can cover everything and make a hole only where the fish's eye is - it will help us to figure out when it is ready.
Bake the fish in salt at 390°F (200°C) for 35 minutes or as we said, have a look the eye, which, once it turns white, the fish is perfectly cooked.
Some chefs also leave the tail clear. So, once they pull it and it comes out easily, it means that the fish is ready.
This is probably one of the easiest ways to cook fish in the oven and how delicious it is - you can judge for yourself. It is simply incredible, retaining all the flavors and juices.
It takes in as much salt as it needs and don't worry about it being too salty.
Serving it in the following way:
With a hammer crack the salt crust and remove it. The fish are removed and only the inner fish fillets are separated.
Serve them with a drizzle of olive oil, a suitable sauce, salad, potatoes or whatever you like.
I personally love the natural taste of the baked fish in a salt crust and I just drizzle it with olive oil and a little lemon.
Enjoy!
