Sea bream in salt

Cooking with salt is a very simple technique that offers you great results when it comes to enjoying fish. Today Noelia, author of La Cucharina Mágica , solves all the doubts that always arise and explains in a very easy way how to make sea bream in salt. Go for it!

The truth is that, for a very short time, about a year, I have been cooking fish in salt. I did it for the first time as new recipes are usually done, with a bit of fear and uncertainty about the result. Since that first time, I have done it practically every month, we love it!

Salted fish is above all a very easy recipe , accessible at all levels and with guaranteed success. Cooking with salt is also a very healthy technique that allows us to savor the fish in its maximum splendor , without any kind of seasoning other than the juices and aromas of the fish and the salt itself.

For those of you who are new to this type of cooking, I imagine that many questions will arise, so I will give you a summary of the most common ones:

Can I do it with all the fish?

Yes, although the most used are sea bass and sea bream, this technique admits other fish, including meat and poultry.

Will the result be left with excess salt?

No, the fish or meat absorbs the necessary salt, it will never be salty.

Can any salt be used?

Yes, as long as she's fat . However, I recommend you buy the specific salt for cooking, this is thicker and precisely prevents it from penetrating meat or fish (like Guérande coarse salt ).

How do you prepare the fish to cook it in this way?

It is very important that the fish have scales , this way the salt will stick to them and it will be much easier to remove the salt crust. Its preparation is as easy as putting a thick layer of salt, the fish on it, and covering with plenty of salt until the fish is completely covered.

Should I add anything else to the salt?

Although there are many recipes in which egg white is added, it is not really necessary for even cooking of the fish. What you can add is pepper or garlic to flavor the salt. Another way to give it a touch is to fill the fish with parsley, garlic, or other aromatic herbs.

How long should I leave it in the oven and at what temperature?

The temperature must be 220ºC, and we must make sure that the oven is very hot when we are going to introduce the fish.

Regarding time , everything depends on the weight of the piece, being the same for sea bass or sea bream:

• 1Kg of fish, it needs 25 minutes of baking
• 2Kg of fish, they need 30 minutes of baking
• 3Kg of fish, they need 50 minutes of baking

How do I make sure it's done evenly?

Using a baking tray that ensures a uniform result in baking is essential for the recipe to be a success. I always use my Le Creuset stoneware pan , which ensures that the fish will be done at the same temperature from head to tail.

How do I remove the scab?

You will find it surprising how easy it is to remove the salt crust, simply remove the salt with a fork and clean the skin and bones of the fish well. Serve the loins clean.

How do I present it?

You can dress the fish with a Dijon mustard , romesco sauce , an aioli or simply as it comes out of the salt, since it is incredibly juicy and tasty. As an accompaniment, nothing better than some good asparagus from Navarra, or some boiled potatoes.

Once all these doubts are resolved, let's go for the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 sea bream of 1 kg
• 2 kg of Guérande coarse salt for baking

Preparation

1. We ask our fishmonger to prepare the fish for the salt. Which is supposed to clean it and leave the scales.
2. We put the oven to heat to 220ºC.
3. In our Le Creuset dish we put a base of coarse salt, place the sea bream, and cover again with salt until it is completely covered.
4. We put in the oven for 25 minutes.
5. We remove the tray from the oven. Being very careful not to burn ourselves, we remove the salt that will have made a crust. We clean the fish from skin and bones and serve immediately so that it does not cool down.
6. Accompany to taste with sauces or garnishes

Rectangular Le Creuset stoneware tray , Wüsthof Gourmet knife and Guérande coarse salt .

cheats

• To flavor the salt you can add peppercorns and/or minced garlic to the salt.