What are the benefits of salt baking?
Cooking fish in a salt crust is a wonderful way of ensuring your fish stays deliciously moist and doesn’t overcook.
The salt crust creates a layer which insulates the food to stop moisture escaping – this means all the delicious juices stay inside and it ensures the food cooks more evenly.
Of course, the salt also adds seasoning, you might worry that it seems like a lot of salt, however most of the crust is removed after cooking and only the correct amount of salt will season through to the actual food.
Serve this salt baked sea bass with simple steamed new potatoes and greens, plus plenty of lemon to squeeze over the fish – perfect!
A side dish that pairs perfect with our salt baked sea bass are our delicious Crispy Turnip Chips and Romy Gill’s Roasted Stem Broccoli. Once served your guests will be begging for seconds!
How to make salt baked sea bass?
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas Mark 6.
- Prepare the fish by filling the cavity with the thyme, rosemary lemon slices and garlic cloves.
- Select a baking tray that is large enough for the fish and cover with baking paper.
- Next, prepare the salt crust. In a large bowl whisk together the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold through the salt – the texture should be similar to wet sand.
- Place a third of the mixture on the baking tray (in the shape of the fish) and place the seabass on top.
- Then use the remaining salt mixture to enclose the fish in the crust. Make sure the seabass is completely covered and use your hands to pack the crust in.
- Bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and lightly golden.
- Use the back of a knife to crack the crust and remove it all from the fish – it should come away in chunks.
- Then simply peel and fillet the fish to serve.
