WHOLE FISH BAKED in a SALT CRUST

By BobD

Ingredients

• 6-7 cups kosher or coarse seal salt
• One (2-pound) sea bass or red snapper, gutted, gills removed, but scales intact
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, quartered

Details

Servings 3
Adapted from cooking.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pour a 1/2 inch deep bed of salt into a roasting pan or casserole. Lay the fish on top and bury the fish in the remaining salt. Cook in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer, poked into the thickest part of the fish, reaches 130-135 degrees F.

Remove the fish from the oven, crack the outer shell of salt, and remove the excess salt. Peel back the skin and gently lift off the top fillet to a serving dish. Carefully pull off the bones, head, and tail. Transfer the second fillet to the serving dish and serve with a light sprinkling of olive oil and lemon juice.