Salt-baked Striped Bass with Herb Lemon Chile Sauce (Branzino Sotto Sale con Salmoriglio)

Name: Salt-baked Striped Bass with Herb Lemon Chile Sauce (Branzino Sotto Sale con Salmoriglio)
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 8 larges egg whites; 2 Tbsps finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley; 6 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 large garlic clove, minced; 4 mediums garlic cloves, peeled and sliced; 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 3 kilograms Diamond Crystal kosher salt (see Notes); 1 lemon, thinly sliced; 118 milliliters freshly squeezed lemon juice; 177 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil; 2 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil; 2 Tbsps finely chopped fresh oregano; 6 sprigs fresh oregano; 2 smalls fresh or dried hot red chiles, such as peperoncini or Thai, minced or sliced; 2 whole fresh striped bass (each about 3 lbs.; see Notes), cleaned and scaled, fins trimmed and tails trimmed to 1 in

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Salt-baked Striped Bass with Herb Lemon Chile Sauce (Branzino Sotto Sale con Salmoriglio) a try. This recipe makes 8 servings with 458 calories, 44g of protein, and 28g of fat each. This recipe covers 29% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes. A mixture of oregano, lemon juice, flat-leaf parsley, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so flavorful. To use up the olive oil you could follow this main course with the Sauteed Banana, Granolan and Yogurt Parfait as a dessert. It is a good option if you're following a gluten free, dairy free, and primal diet.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 42

Equipment you will use

Oven

Move rack to middle of oven. Stuff cavity of each fish with herb sprigs and slices of lemon and garlic, dividing evenly. Coat fish with olive oil.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Garlic

Lemon

Fish

Equipment you will use

Oven

In a very large bowl, combine salt with egg whites and 2 cups water.

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Egg Whites

Water

Salt

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Bowl

Mix with your hands, then add in another 2 cups water, mixing, until the salt feels like moist sand (you may need a little more water).

Ingredients you will need

Water

Salt

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with 1/2 in. of the salt mixture. Arrange the two fish nose to tail on the salt, leaving at least 1 1/2 in. space between them. Cover each with an even 1/2-in. layer of salt mixture, patting to adhere (no part of fish should remain exposed) and leaving a crevice between the fish so they cook evenly.

Ingredients you will need

Fish

Salt

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Bake 30 minutes, or until salt crust is very pale gold and hard to the touch, like ceramic.

Ingredients you will need

Crust

Salt

Equipment you will use

Oven

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry (but not more than 2 hours ahead or the herbs will lose their fresh taste).

Ingredients you will need

Herbs

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Whisk

Bowl

Working with one fish at a time, tap hard salt crust with a small hammer or meat mallet to crack it. Lift off chunks of crust and brush any remaining salt off fish (a pastry brush is useful here).

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Crust

Fish

Meat

Salt

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Pastry Brush

Meat Tenderizer

With a large fork, carefully peel back skin, starting at spine and working toward belly. Lift off chunks of meat with fork and transfer to a platter. Lift out skeleton with the head attached and discard. With fork, transfer the rest of the meat to the platter.

Ingredients you will need

Meat

Repeat dismantling of salt crust and filleting with remaining fish, adding meat to the platter.

Ingredients you will need

Crust

Fish

Meat

Salt

Serve with dressing spooned over top and more served on the side.