Sea Bass Baked In A Salt Crust By Mitch Tonks Recipes

SEA BASS BAKED IN A SALT CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place salt in a baking dish, and heat in the oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove salt from oven, and increase temperature to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a roasting pan large enough for the fish, spoon about a third of the warm salt in the approximate shape and size of the fish. Lay 2 slices of lemon and 3 sprigs of tarragon on the salt.
• Lay the fish on top. Place the remaining lemon slices and tarragon on top of the fish. Spoon the remaining salt on top of the fish, patting it on the sides and making sure to cover it completely.
• Bake the fish 10 to 12 minutes, or 8 minutes for each inch of thickness. Check for doneness by inserting the tip of a knife through the salt crust into the thickest part of the fish and wedging it slightly to see if the flesh is cooked.
• Remove fish from oven, and quickly break off the salt, brushing off as much as possible. Transfer to a serving platter. At the table, remove the skin and fillet the fish. Pass the olive oil for sprinkling over the fillets.

BAKED SEA BASS IN HERBED SALT CRUST

Steps:

• Rinse sea bass under cold water and pat dry inside and out. Sprinkle cavity of bass with 1/2 teaspoon tarragon and pepper.
• With a sharp knife trim ends of lemon to expose flesh and, standing lemon on one end, cut from top to bottom to remove peel and pitch. Cut lemon crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange in cavity.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. and lightly oil a baking pan.
• In a bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons tarragon, coarse salt, and flour. Stir in 1 cup warm water plus additional as necessary to form a slightly stiff paste (paste should resemble wet sand).
• Arrange bass in oiled pan. Coat top of bass completely with half of salt mixture, patting it on, and turn bass over. Coat other side in same manner (bass should be completely covered).
• Bake bass in middle of oven 30 minutes. Crack salt crust with a sharp knife or hammer and remove top crust, discarding it. To serve,lift bass in pieces off bones and discard bones. Lift out remaining bass. Serve bass with lemon wedges.