Recipe courtesy of James Peterson
Whole Red Snapper Baked in Salt
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 467
- Total Fat
- 6
- Saturated Fat
- 1
- Carbohydrates
- 0
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 0
- Protein
- 96
- Cholesterol
- 168
- Sodium
- 1185
- Total: 50 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 40 min
Ingredients
1 (4 pound) red snapper, scaled, gutted, and gills removed
4 or more egg whites
1/2 cup cold water
6 to 7 pounds coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse and dry the fish thoroughly. Whisk together the egg whites and water and combine with the salt in a large mixing bowl. Work the mixture with your hands to distribute the water and egg whites in the salt. The salt mixture should hold together when you press a mound of it together between the palms of your hands. If it doesn't, work in another egg white.
- Fill a baking dish that is 2 inches longer than the fish about 1/3 full of the salt mixture. Place the fish on top. Cover the fish with the rest of the salt mixture and smooth the salt over with a spatula. Place the fish in the oven for about 40 minutes. The only way to know whether the fish is done is by inserting an instant-read thermometer through the layer of salt and measuring the temperature of the fish. When it reaches 135 degrees F, take it out, and serve immediately.
- Bring the fish to the table on a baking sheet or on a large platter and crack it with a mallet or even a hammer. Pull back the salt layer, then peel off the skin with a fork. Serve on hot plates.