Bar en Croûte de Sel

Bar en Croûte de Sel: Step by Step

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1. Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Leave the scales on the fish and pack the cavity with the lemon, thyme, dill and bay.

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2. Mix the salt with the egg whites, water and fennel seeds until it feels like damp sand and holds together when squeezed.

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3. Spread a 1 cm layer of the salt on a baking tray, roughly the shape of the fish.

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4. Lay the fish on it and pack the remaining salt over the top and sides, pressing firmly so it is completely sealed with no gaps. Leave the head and tail poking out if you like.

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5. Bake 35 minutes for a 1.5 kg fish — roughly 22 minutes per kilo plus 10.

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6. Rest 5 minutes, then crack the crust open at the table with the back of a heavy knife and lift it away in pieces.

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7. Peel the skin and scales off with it, lift the fillets away from the bone, and dress with olive oil, lemon and dill.

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A Few Pointers

• Scales on. They are a second barrier against the salt.
• Seal completely — any gap and the flesh goes salty.
• Crack it at the table. It is the best part of serving it.

What to Serve With It

Boiled potatoes · Aïoli · A glass of Picpoul

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: French Baguette, Aligot, Boulangere Potatoes.

Storage

Best immediately. Leftover fish keeps a day and is good cold with mayonnaise.

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.