BRANZINO BAKED UNDER A SALT CRUST

BRANZINO BAKED UNDER A SALT CRUST

BRANZINO BAKED UNDER A SALT CRUST

Ingredients

1 very fresh branzino with head and tail, gutted, but unscaled (about 1 pound)
3 ½-4 cups coarse salt
1 (4 inch) sprig fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, cut into 5 thin slices
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Lemon wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse
the fish well under cold running water, especially in the
belly cavity. Dry well inside and out with paper towels. Cover the bottom
of a 10 x 12 inch aluminum pan with about ¼ inch salt; you’ll need about 1 ½ cups.
Arrange the fish diagonally in the pan over the salt. Open the belly cavity and lay the
rosemary branch, lengthwise, inside. Line up the garlic slices, side by side, on top of
the rosemary. Press the edges of the cavity together to protect the flesh from the
salt. Then pour salt over the fish to completely cover it, except for the head and tail.
(You’ll need about 2 cups more salt.) Put some water in a bowl, dip your fingers into
it, and sprinkle a little water over the top layer of salt; you’ll use about
2 teaspoons. This will help to create the crust. Bake the fish until the eye turns
opaque and white, exactly 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let sit
for a couple of minutes. Use the rounded end of a regular dinner knife to crack
the top layer of salt. Push the crust off the fish in chunks. Using a fork and
knife, lift the fish onto a clean plate with the opening of the belly cavity
facing you. With the same knife, cut off the tail; discard. Starting at
the belly opening, insert the knife between skin and flesh, wherever
you can get the knife in. Then lift off the skin (it should come off in
one large piece or a couple of smaller pieces). Cut down the dark
line that runs along the top fillet from the head all the way to the
tail and divides the fillet in half. The flesh will separate easily at that
line. Use the fork and knife to push the fish off the bone, on either
side of that center line. Lift the fillet in pieces off the bone and onto a
plate, removing any gelatinous or dark-colored bits. When you’ve entirely
removed the top fillet, discard the rosemary and garlic. Lift up the backbone at
the tail and lift the bones and head off the plate; discard. Then cut the bottom fillet
in half along the center line, push the flesh off the skin, and lift the pieces onto the
plate. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.