I am sure you tried many times or at least have seen in restaurants, cooking shows and social media, different types of fish baked in salt crust. Did you think for yourself "I could never do that at home!" ? I have! But little did I know that this dish is simple, festive, zelidecious, impressive. In my research for Christmas and New Year's Eve dishes options, I have decided to try baking fish in a salt crust and, if worth the effort, include it in my holiday menu. Draw the conclusion for yourself. I can only hint: such a delicate flavour, juicy and tender fish meat, tasty, light, fresh, so easy to enjoy and digest.... Great option for meatless eaters, pescatarians, of course gluten and dairy free, very low in fat, is there anything that might convince you not to include my Zelidecious Baked Sea Bass in Salt Crust to your festive menus? 

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 cleaned sea basses (washed and dried with a kitchen towel), aprox. 400-600 gr. each
• 2 kg coarse salt (do not use fine salt)
• 4 egg whites
• 2 tbsp dry/fresh thyme
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced 
• 1 big bunch parsley 

Method:

1. Ask the fishmonger to clean the fish inside and take scales down. At home, wash and dry well the fish with a kitchen towel.
2. Heat oven at 230-240'C.
3. Put in a large bowl the coarse salt, egg whites and thyme. Mix very well.
4. Take a large baking dish and spread around 1/3 of the salt mix on the bottom of the dish (1-2 cm tall).
5. Spread half of the parsley bunch on the salt layer, just like putting a gree blanket.
6. Put the fish over the salt and parsley bed and stuff them with lemon slices.
7. Arrange the other half of the parsley bunch, again like a blanket on top of the fish, and top with the remaining 2/3 of salt mix. Try to cover well so you create a cocoon for your fish to bake inside. 
8. Put in the oven for 25-30 min (the salt crust should start to turn a little brown).
9. Take out of the oven and leave in the pan with the salt crust to rest for 30 min to max. 1h. 
10. Using a kitchen hammer, the back of a big knife or any other tool you might find handy, slowly hit the crust in order to crack it (no worries, breaks easily).
11. Take the salt aside and remove the fish. Clean the fish of the skin and any salt excess and transfer on a serving platter.
12. Enjoy with seasonal veggies, baked potatoes, green salads, whatever you fancy, and freshly squeezed lemon.