Salt-Baked Sea Bass with Fennel, Orange and Lemon

⏱ 60 min · Serves 2

A whole sea bass sealed in a crackling dome of citrus-scented salt, cracked open at the table to reveal impossibly moist, fragrant flesh. Fennel and orange perfume the fish from the inside out, and a bright fennel-frond dressing finishes it. Dramatic, restaurant-worthy, and secretly one of the easiest ways to cook fish.

Per serving: 520 kcal · 48.0g protein · 11.0g carbs · 31.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 whole sea bass (about 800g–1kg), gutted and scaled
• 2kg coarse sea salt
• 3 large egg whites
• 100ml cold water
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
• 1 orange (half sliced, half juiced)
• 1 lemon (half sliced, half juiced)
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Flaky salt, to finish

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C fan / 220C conventional. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
2. In a big bowl, mix the coarse salt with the egg whites and cold water until it feels like damp sand and holds together when squeezed.
3. Pat the sea bass dry inside and out. Stuff the cavity with the orange slices, lemon slices, a few slices of fennel, the thyme and bay leaves. Grind over black pepper.
4. Spread a 1cm bed of the salt mixture on the tray, roughly the shape of the fish. Lay the bass on top, then pack the remaining salt over it, pressing firmly to seal completely — leave the tail poking out if you like, but cover all the flesh.
5. Bake for 25–30 minutes for a 800g–1kg fish (about 25 minutes per kg plus 5). A skewer pushed through the crust into the thickest part should come out warm.
6. Meanwhile, whisk the shallot, Dijon, orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil into a dressing. Season. Toss the remaining sliced fennel through half of it and roughly chop the fronds into the rest.
7. Rest the fish in its crust for 5 minutes. Bring it to the table, then crack the crust firmly with the back of a spoon and lift it away in shards.
8. Brush away any loose salt, peel back the skin and lift the fillets off the bone with two spoons. Plate with the fennel salad, spoon over the frond dressing and finish with flaky salt.