Sea Bream in Salt Crust

Method

1. Prepare the salt crust: separate 5 eggs, reserving yolks for the mayonnaise. Beat the egg whites lightly until foamy but not stiff.
2. In a bowl, combine coarse salt, fine salt, and beaten egg whites. Mix until you get a homogeneous, spreadable paste.
3. Finely chop parsley, rosemary needles, and thyme leaves. Add to the salt mixture and stir.
4. Clean the sea bream: keep scales on, gut and rinse. Stuff the cavity with a clove of garlic and some parsley.
5. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread a layer of the salt crust on the paper, then place the fish on top. Cover the fish completely with the remaining crust, pressing gently to seal.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 38-40 minutes (for a 1.2 kg fish; adjust: 30-35 minutes per kilogram). Let rest for 10 minutes out of the oven.
7. Crack the salt crust carefully with the back of a spoon. Remove and discard the crust. Peel off the skin from the fish. Fillet the fish.
8. Serve the sea bream fillets with lemon wedges, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional), and freshly ground black pepper. Accompany with herb potatoes and lemon mayonnaise.