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Cooking in a copper roasting pan is a classic preparation for cooking fish and meat that has been used around the world since ancient times. It is a great dish to make for guests, being both dramatic and delicious -since the baking dish is brought directly to the table and cracked open with the whack of a spoon. This method yields tender perfectly cooked fish everytime. You can make it with an herbed crust or without. Likewise, fill the cavity with your favorite citrus and herb flavors. However you vary this dish, keep it simple and you will be pleased. Let the delicious flavor of the fish be the success of the dish.
Make smart sustainable decisions with your fish consumption. We check the Seafood Watch regularly, http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx for a complete and up to date listing of which fish make good choices for dinner based on the farming practices and population in the ocean. A big thank you to David Pasternack of Esca, NYC for the technique in this recipe, if anyone knows fish it's him.
Salt Baked Fish with Garden Herbs and Oranges
4 cups fine sea salt
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped from 3, 1 sprig left whole
2 sprigs oregano, leaves stripped and torn
4-5 large egg whites, as needed
1 (2 pound) whole fish, (or 2, 1 pound fish), Branzino or Black Sea Bass (from the North Atlantic), cleaned and gutted
3 slices of orange, cut into half moons about ½ inch thick, plus more for garnish
4 cloves of garlic, crushed and peeled
Good extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Chopped Green olives (optional)
Sliced serranos or chopped chiles (optional)
¼ cup lightly chopped parsley (optional)
Finishing sea salt like fleur de sel (optional)
Baguette slices
Parchment paper
Roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold the fish
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Generously sprinkle some sea salt on the bottom of the baking dish and set the parchment sheet on top of the salt. Mix the remaining sea salt, chopped rosemary, oregano in large bowl to combine. Add the eggwhites one at a time (you may not need to use all of the eggwhites) and mix together until the mixture feels like just wet sand.
3. Put the orange slices, garlic cloves and whole sprig of rosemary into the cavity of the fish. Put the fish on the parchment paper in the baking dish. Lightly drizzle the fish with olive oil. Put the salt egg mixture on top of the fish using your hands as if burying it in sand. Be sure to cover the entire fish with the mixture. It should be a mound over the fish.
4. Bake the fish for 20 - 25 minutes until the salt crust is hard on top and it begins to turn a deep golden brown around the edges.
5. Bring the dish to the table with a serving fork and spoon and two empty plates, one for bones etc and the other for plating the fish. Crack it with the back of a large serving spoon. Remove the top layer of the salt crust and discard. If possible, lift the fish out of the pan with a spatula under the parchment paper...leaving behind as much of the salt crust as is feasible.
6. Fillet the fish: Use a fork to break the skin along the spine (the top) of the fish and peel off the skin starting at the tail end of the fish. Fillet the fish by sliding the spoon under the fillet, keeping it close to the spine. Lift the fillet together with a serving fork and spoon onto a serving plate. Ideally this comes as one piece, but don't worry if it doesn't. Lift the spine from the fish by the tail and discard. Carefully lift the bottom fillet out of the baking dish and put it on the plate.
7. Serve the fish with optional accompaniments and baguette slices.
Special Thanks:
Krista Ruane
www.kristaruane.com