Salt Crusted Whole Fish

Servings

1

Ingredients

6 Egg Whites
4 cups Kosher Salt
1 whole Striped Sea Bass 1- 1 1/4 pound scaled and gutted
2 clove Garlic Thinly sliced
2 sprigs Thyme Fresh

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the egg whites into a bowl and whisk until you reach stiff peaks.  Add the salt in and mix well, this should feel like wet sand.  Put aside for later use.  Take your sheet pan and cover it with tinfoil.  This will help you with the dishes later as the salt/egg mixture sticks to everything.  Take your Bass and place the garlic and thyme into the belly.  Put a thin layer of the salt/egg mixture onto the sheet pan covered with tinfoil.  This should be a little bigger than the fish.  Place the fish on top of the egg/salt mixture.  Cover the fish with about one inch of the remaining egg/salt mixture leaving the head and tail exposed.  You may have some left over.  Place in the 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  The salt should be lightly browned.  Remove from the oven.  For service cut the salt crust down the middle the long way.  You want to just cut into it enough to remove the crust.  Do not cut into the fish.  Once the top layer of salt is removed take the skin off of the fish.  Remove the filets and serve.  Enjoy!

• Garnish:  I normally serve this with a light tasting Extra Virgin Olive Oil and potatoes.  You can look at my other recipes for a potato or starch recipes if you want to add some sides.

• Chefs Note: This is my favorite way to eat fish!  I have used several types of whole fish for this.  I hope you enjoy it!