WOOD FIRE WONDERS

Fish in Salt Crust (Tuzda Balık)

One whole fish (such as red snapper or sea bass; gutted and scaled, but with head and tail intact and cleaned); 4 cups of coarse sea salt; 4 egg whites; 1/4 cup of fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, or parsley); 2 lemons (thinly sliced); and olive oil.

Preparation and Cooking

  • In a large bowl, combine the sea salt, egg whites and the fresh herbs, and mix together with your hands until it resembles wet sand.
  • Using a roasting pan or oven-safe dish, place a layer of the salt mixture on the bottom to create a bed for the fish.
  • Stuff the fish cavity with the lemon slices and fresh herbs, and place the fish on top of the salt mixture and cover it completely with the remaining salt mixture.
  • Transfer the roasting pan to the wood-fired oven and cook if for about 30-40 min at 180-200oC in Area E or Area C until the salt crust is golden brown and hard.
  • Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and let it rest for 10min.
  • To serve, crack open the salt crust with a hammer or knife and discard the crust. Gently remove the fish from the pan and transfer it to a serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and serve hot, garnished with additional lemon slices and fresh herbs.

Hints and Comments

  • Fish in salt crust and in the wood fired oven is a delicious way to cook whole fish, as it adds a unique smoky flavour to the dish.