Freshly caught sea bass with a salt crust

This recipe comes to us courtesy of Pedro Dias, the chef at the Faz Figura Restaurant in Alfama, Lisbon Ingredients (for two): One Sea Bass (800gr - 1kg) 2,5 kg of salt (it is important to use coarse salt, the quantity of salt depends on the size of the fish, it must be enough to cover it completely with a "coat" that is at least one finger thick) Herbs (parsley, thime, coriander) It is very important not to remove the fish scales and to gut it through the guild, without opening its belly, as this will protect the fish from the coat of salt. Divide the herbs in two: chop finely one of the halves, and put the other half inside the belly of the fish. In a bowl, add a bit of water to the salt, and also the chopped herbs, and mix it well. Put a bit of this mix in a flat oven tray, to form a bed for the fish and to prevent it from sticking to the tray. Add the fish and cover it completely with the salt. If you are unsure about the cooking time, this is the right time to stick a wooden toothpick on the "neck" of the fish - behind the head, in the thicker part of the fish. The salt cover must be around 3 to 4 cm. Place in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes at 200º celsius. The time depends on the power of the oven, so you may want to use the "toothpick trick". If you can take it out of the fish very easily, it is ready, if not, leave it to cook more. If you are unsure, leave it in the oven for another five minutes. Serve it with crust. To catch the eye of your guests, you can sprinkle a bit of cognac or other strong beverage and set it on fire. Serve with sautéed vegetables and potatos. To remove the crust, use a jagged knife to make an incision all along the fish, then remove the salt. Make another incision along the sides of the fish and peel the skin. You can add a few home made sauces on the side, if you like. Mayonnaise with garlic works fine, for example.

Channel: sevenload Video Length: 0s Date Found: Wed, Aug 18 2010 8:31 PM Category: Lifestyles Date Produced: Wed, Jul 28 2010 12:00 AM View Count: 1