Prep time: 20 min Oven time: 30 min
Salt-Baked Red Snapper
- 3 pounds coarse sea salt, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 4 bay leaves
- 6 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 10 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 whole (approximately 2 1/2 pounds) red snapper, gutted but not scaled
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish, if desired
1. Preheat oven to 375°F and place oven rack in middle position.
2. Toss salt with water in large bowl, stirring until salt is damp. Coarsely chop 2 bay
leaves, 3 rosemary sprigs, and 5 thyme sprigs, add to salt and mix well.
3. Spread half the mixture on a rimmed
baking sheet, and place snapper on top. Tuck remaining herbs
in cavity of fish, and then cover fish completely with remaining salt mixture. Pack firmly around fish.
4. Bake snapper 30 min. (If
fish is larger than 2 1/2 pounds, increase oven time
approx. 5 min for each extra pound.) Let snapper
rest for 5 min.
5. To fillet fish, crack open the salt crust along the side using a fork and spoon. The upper half, now a hard salt shell, should lift off easily, but it may crumble into pieces. Use the fork to gently peel
away and discard the skin. Use a knife to cut just below the
head through to the bone. Then turn knife at an
angle and slice lengthwise along the spine. Carefully lift fish
fillet off the bone in a single piece, if possible, and transfer to a
platter. Flip fish and repeat on the other side.
Alternatively, David suggests transferring the entire baking sheet to the table and allowing everyone to have at it. He recommends seasoning with salt and olive oil prior to serving if desired.
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