Ingredients
- 1.8 kg (3 lb 10 oz) whole fish (eg. blue-eye, jewfish, sea bass, groper), scaled and cleaned
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 3 kg (6 lb) rock salt
- 100 g (3½ oz) plain flour
Method
1. Preheat the oven to moderately hot 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Rinse the fish and pat dry inside and out with paper towel. Place the lemon, thyme and fennel inside the cavity.
2. Pack half the salt into a large baking dish and place the fish on top.
3. Cover with the remaining salt, pressing down until the salt is packed firmly around the fish.
4. Combine the flour with enough water to form a smooth paste, then brush, spreading carefully and evenly, over the surface of the salt. Be careful not to disturb the salt.
5. Bake the fish for 30–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the fish comes out hot. Carefully crack open the salt crust with the back of a spoon and gently remove the skin from the fish, ensuring that no salt remains on the flesh. Serve with Montpellier butter.
