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Fish in salt crust stuffed with preserved lemons

I used Sea Bream (Dorade Royale in French) but any white fish, such as sea bass (Bar in French) that isn't too bony will work.
Course: Fish, Main Course
Cuisine: French, Italian, Spanish
Keyword: Feasts, Festivals, Fish, Main courses, Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Spectacular main dishes

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Oven dish
  • metal skewer or digital culinary thermometer

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 kilos coarse sea salt, sel gris, kosher salt, rock salt
  • 4 or 5 egg whites
  • 4 500 to 600g entire fish, cleaned and gutted
  • 4 Preserved salted lemons, sliced
  • handful parsley, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 220ºc (428ºF)
  • In a large bowl, empty the sea salt and mix with the egg whites
  • Stuff the empty stomachs of the fish with the sliced preserved lemons and parsley
  • Add a layer of salt to the bottom of the dry oven dish
  • Place the fish on top and cover each one with a mound of the sea salt mixture. You can leave heads and tails uncovered but make sure there are no holes in the mixture. The salt acts as an oven within an oven.
  • Bake for 40 minutes or until the digital temperature guage says 65ºc (149ºF) in the centre of the fish. Or use a metal skewer and touch under your bottom lip with it. If it feels hot it's done.
  • Serve whole on the tray. Crack open the salt crust. Often the skin will come off with the salt. Remove the salt on top to another plate. Serve the top layer of the fish. Remove the spine and serve the bottom half of the fish. Put a little of the preserved lemon stuffing on each plate with the fish.