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Salt-baked fish with Ligurian herb sauce
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Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Total Time:
70 minutes
Easy and exciting method: Seal in fish's juices with a salt crust, then have fun cracking it open post-cooking!
Ingredients:
  • 2 egg whites
  • 4kg coarse rock salt (see note)
  • 2 x 1kg whole snappers, cleaned, scales left on (see note)
  • 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, steamed, to serve
  • 500g roasted cherry truss tomatoes, to serve
  • 80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, very finely chopped (see note)
  • 1 small stalk celery, very finely chopped (see note)
  • 1 small carrot, peeled, very finely chopped (see note)
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 20.00 ml finely chopped anchovies
  • 40.00 ml salted capers, rinsed, drained, finely chopped
  • 20.00 ml roasted pine nuts, finely chopped
  • 40.00 ml golden raisins, finely chopped (see note)
  • 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
  • 125ml (1/2 cup) fish stock or chicken stock
  • 52.50 gm lemon juice, or to taste
  • 62.50 ml flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 40.00 ml basil leaves, finely chopped
Instructions:
  • Preheat the oven to 220C. Whisk egg whites in a large bowl until foamy, then mix in rock salt thoroughly using your hands.
  • Sprinkle a third of the salt mixture evenly on the base of the roasting pan. Arrange the fish in a head-to-tail position on top of the salt. Cover the fish with the remaining salt mixture, pressing it with your hands to enclose the fish completely (the tail may slightly stick out). Bake for 40 minutes or until the salt forms a firm crust.
  • To create the flavorful Ligurian sauce, gently warm the oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Sauté the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, anchovies, capers, pine nuts, and raisins, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Pour in the wine and stock, then bring to a gentle simmer. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until slightly reduced. Take out and discard the thyme. Stir in lemon juice and chopped herbs. Season with freshly ground black pepper (note: the sauce will be salty from capers and anchovies). Allow it to cool to room temperature. Yields 375ml.
  • Gently crack open the salt crust on the fish from the head, then remove and discard the salt in clumps using your hands.
  • With a deft touch, transfer the fish from the roasting pan to a plate using spatulas. Gently peel off and discard the skin. Using a butter knife or small palette knife, lift the flesh off the bone in large pieces. Remove and discard the backbones, then extract the flesh from the remaining sides of the fish.
  • Plate the fish meat evenly among plates and serve promptly with flavorful Ligurian sauce, tender asparagus, and juicy tomatoes.

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