Sunday, January 9, 2011

Salt Encrusted Whole Red Snapper


Between Top Chef and the Food Network we’ve seen several variations of cooking a whole fish in a salt crust and Curtis really wanted to try it at home. So we ordered a whole red snapper from our local fish market and brought home a 3.5-lb Rockfish (that’s what was available and the nice man at the market cleaned the fish for us).

At home Curtis combined an entire box of kosher salt (about 8 cups) with 10 egg whites (we just kept adding egg whites until the texture felt like it would stick together). He then put a layer of the salt mixture on the bottom of a roasting pan, stuffed the fish with slices of Meyer lemon, fresh rosemary and pepper and then covered all but the tail with the rest of the salt mixture. The salt crust was about ½ inch thick.

He baked the fish for 35 min in a 425 degree oven. The salt crust turned a nice golden brown. When the fish came out of the oven, he cracked the salt crust with a mojito muddle and pulled it off.

He peeled the skin off the fish and then the fish off the bones and we went to town. This was so moist and delicious that Curtis and I polished off the entire fish between the two of us!





And we had Eating Well Rocky Road Brownies for dessert!

9 comments:

  1. Interesting! I have been wondering about this technique. How do you feel about roasting a whole fish, where people eat the skin? I have been seeing breaded whole fish and can't get excited about the skin...

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  2. It sounds amazing and I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I wonder if I'd have a mental hurdle with the fish head, though? Good for you for trying something new!

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  3. Honestly, Jen, I think it would probably be good, but even in you weren't digging the taste of the skin, since the fish is roasted, I'm sure it would pull right off. And the skin's tastiness factor may depend on the variety of fish. Let me know if you try it!

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  4. Can I just come and live with you?

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  5. Oooh I don't know about this one. I did love those rocky road brownies tho!

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  6. You guys are so creative! This looks awesome. I think you are just trying to tempt me to move closer.

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  7. Oh wow! Cheers to you guys. What a great way to enjoy fish. Not everyone is comfortable with salting their fish on their own, and you guys proved that we should not be afraid to try it.

    Velva

    P.S.. I am so glad you guys enjoyed the King of the Snake cocktail. Your comment put a smile on my face.

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  8. How interesting! I want to try this out once fishing season begins.

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  9. I am beyond impressed by you guys. I had trouble with chicken bones and skin and you did this! WOW!

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