ingredients and materials
egg white and kosher salt
whole cleaned branzino
prep, cooking, and serving
1. preheat oven to 450 °F
3. Mix the salt and egg whites
4. Fill the fish with thyme and lemon
5. Drizzle the fish with oil
6. Put the thermocouple in the thickest part of the fish
7. Cover the pan with the salt mixture, place the fish on top, and cover with rest of the salt
9. Remove the top layer of egg-salt mixture
10. (a) Roll the skin off using a fork
10. (b) Use a rubber spatula or fish server along the spine to lift the fillet off the bone
12-13. serve with parsley, lemon wedges, and olive oil
ingredients
• parsley for garnish
• 2 boxes kosher salt
• 1 tall carton egg whites
• 2 whole cleaned branzino - head still on; guts and fins removed
• lemon slices, thyme, and extra-virgin olive oil to taste
materials
• tinfoil
• jelly roll pan
• thermocouple
• spatula
total time: 50-60 min
prep: 20 min
cooking: 30-40 min
serves 4-6
prep and cooking
1. Preheat the oven to 450 °F.
2. Cover the jelly roll pan with tinfoil.
3. Mix the salt and egg whites in a very large plastic bowl with gloved hands. Start with less egg white than you think and add more as needed. As you work it in, the mixture will become easier to combine.
4. Fill the cavity with thyme, amd lemon slices.
5. Drizzle the fish with olive oil.
6. Stick a thermocouple in the thickest part of the filet.
7. Cover the pan with half of the salt and egg mixture, place the fish on top, and cover the fish with the rest of the mixture. Strive for a thin sealed layer on the top and bottom of the fish.
8. Bake at 450 °F for 30 min, until the internal temperature is 140 °F. The top will be browned, and it will smell caramelized.
Serving
9. Remove the top layer of egg-salt mixture from the fish.
10. Roll the skin off the top using a fork. Use a good rubber spatula or fish server along the spine to lift the fillet off the bone.
11. Turn the fish over and repeat the last step on the second fillet. This has the benefit of avoiding the bones and minimizing the amount of spine for your guests to think about.
12. Move the fillets to a serving platter and garnish with parsley.
13. Serve with lemon wedges and olive oil.