Trout in a Salt Crust

⏳ Time

30 minutes + 1 hour

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Trout is a delicate fish, and baking it in salt is the gentlest method of preparation. The salt crust retains moisture inside, but surprisingly, it doesn’t impart a salty flavor to the fish. The trout will remain juicy, preserving its meaty texture while enhancing the precision of its taste and texture. By the way, you can use the same method to bake a leg of lamb, chicken, or any other fish. For a side dish, we’ll take green peas, cherry tomatoes, and a colorful vegetable salsa, making the dish truly vibrant and light for summer.

Ingredients

Chilean sea bass fillet - 2 lbs
Flaky sea salt - 2 glasses
Egg white - 2 pieces
Green Peas - 1½ glasses
Shallot - 2 pieces
Fennel - 3 heads
Ground fennel seeds - 2 spoons
Citrus Zest Mix - 0.5 oz
Meyer Lemon Juice - 4 spoons
Champagne Vinegar - 2 spoons
Olive Oil - 9 teaspoons
Cashew - ½ glasses
Leek - 0.9 oz
Salt - to taste
Ground Black Pepper - to taste

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Add the peas to boiling salted water, reduce the heat, and cook for about five minutes until tender. Drain in a colander and transfer to an ice bath.

Step 2

Finely chop the shallots and fennel, and place them in a bowl. Mix in the zest. Add lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Let the salsa sit for at least an hour.

Step 3

Set the oven to the 'broil' mode at maximum temperature. Mix coarse salt with lightly beaten egg whites to create a thick paste.

Step 4

Place the fish skin-side up on a baking sheet generously coated with olive oil. Cover it with a blanket of salt. Position it in the upper third of the oven and bake for 7 minutes. Heat the salsa, then add chopped cashews, all the herbs, and peas.

Step 5

Remove the salt crust from the fish along with the skin, and cut it into portions. Place each piece on a bed of sautéed green pea pods and cherry tomatoes. Top with salsa.