Fish

Salt-crust snapper

Name: Salt-crust snapper recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1kg rock salt; 500g table salt; 3 garlic cloves, sliced; 1/4 bunch basil; 1.2kg whole snapper, scaled and cleaned (ask your fishmonger to do this for you); Extra virgin olive oil, to serve; Lemon wedges, to serve

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by Orazio D’Elia

CHEF

Aug 04, 2022

“This is probably the best way to cook and eat fish. You bring it to the table, break the crust and serve it in front of everyone – people just love that.”

1kg rock salt
500g table salt
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 bunch basil
1.2kg whole snapper, scaled and cleaned (ask your fishmonger to do this for you)
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine both salts and 1 cup (250ml) water in a large bowl.
2.

Place garlic and basil inside the cavity of the snapper. Place fish in a baking dish and cover completely with the salt mixture, pressing down to coat well. Bake for 25 minutes or until salt crust is hard and dry.
3.

Using a fork and a spoon, gently remove the salt crust. Fillet the snapper and divide among serving plates. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.