Best Salt Crusted Whole Red Snapper Recipes

WHOLE RED SNAPPER BAKED IN SALT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rinse and dry the fish thoroughly. Whisk together the egg whites and water and combine with the salt in a large mixing bowl. Work the mixture with your hands to distribute the water and egg whites in the salt. The salt mixture should hold together when you press a mound of it together between the palms of your hands. If it doesn't, work in another egg white.
• Fill a baking dish that is 2 inches longer than the fish about 1/3 full of the salt mixture. Place the fish on top. Cover the fish with the rest of the salt mixture and smooth the salt over with a spatula. Place the fish in the oven for about 40 minutes. The only way to know whether the fish is done is by inserting an instant-read thermometer through the layer of salt and measuring the temperature of the fish. When it reaches 135 degrees F, take it out, and serve immediately.
• Bring the fish to the table on a baking sheet or on a large platter and crack it with a mallet or even a hammer. Pull back the salt layer, then peel off the skin with a fork. Serve on hot plates.

SALT CRUSTED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F/220 degrees C. Tuck the lemon slices into the belly of the fish. Stir the salt and egg whites together in a bowl. Chop all but 6 mint leaves. Stir the chopped mint through the salt and put the others inside the fish. Put the fish in a baking dish and cover completely with the salt to seal. Bake 25 minutes. Crack the crust off with a knife, moving all the salt away from the surface. Peel back the skin from the fish, and carefully remove the fillets.

SALT AND HERB CRUSTED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• With a sharp knife, make 5 slits, at an angle and about 1 1/2 inches apart, on each side of the fish. Rub 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over each side of the fish, then season each side with Creole seasoning. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet. Combine the kosher salt, herbs, lemon zest, and juice, orange zest and juice, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Mound the mixture evenly on the surface of the fish, leaving the head and tail uncovered. With your fingers, firmly press the mixture into the flesh. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes.
• With the back of a heavy spoon or a mallet, lightly pound the salt crust to crack it open, beginning at the tail end. Carefully pull off the salt crust. Then, with a small spatula or wide knife, remove the flesh from the bone on the top side of the fish. Remove the back bone, then serve the flesh from the bottom side of the fish. Spoon the rice in the center of each serving plate. Lay the fish on top of the rice. Spoon some of the salsa over each serving.
• Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss well. Allow the salad to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

SALT-ENCRUSTED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Position a rack in the middle of oven. In a bowl, stir together salt and one cup water until salt is evenly moistened. Score both sides of the fish, cutting slits just through skin to expose a little flesh. Sprinkle inside cavity lightly with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Rub two tablespoons of the herbs into cavity and insert lemon slices. Rub one tablespoon chopped herbs onto each side of the fish, pressing into slits.
• Spread half the salt mixture in an oval just larger than the fish on a large baking sheet. Set fish on top of the salt. Pat remaining salt mixture over fish to cover completely and mold around curves of the fish. It's okay for the tail to stick out a little bit. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and rap edges of salt crust to loosen it. Lift the crust from fish. It's okay if the skin comes away with crust.
• To serve, use a spatula to cut exposed side of fish into two portions and place on two warmed dinner plates. Lift tail to remove bones in one piece and expose other side. Cut that side into two portions, lift it from bottom salt and place on warmed plates. Drizzle each portion with extra virgin olive oil and splash of sherry vinegar if desired. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and serve immediately.

WHOLE RED SNAPPER BAKED IN A SALT CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• In a bowl stir together salt and water until combined well. On a large baking sheet spread half of salt mixture in a rectangle just larger than the red snapper and set fish on top. Halve lemon crosswise and cut 3 slices from 1 half, reserving remaining half. Insert slices into cavity of fish. Pat remaining salt mixture over fish to cover completely and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes.
• Rap all around edge of salt crust with the back of a large spoon to loosen and lift top off. Squeeze juice from reserved lemon half over fish and drizzle with oil.

BAKED RED SNAPPER IN A SALT CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl blend together the flour, cornmeal, coarse salt, and fresh rosemary. Add the egg whites and the water. Stir to combine. Add more water if necessary to form a stiff dough.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough. Transfer it to a baking sheet. Wrap the whole red snapper completely in the dough. Press the edges of the dough to seal. Put in oven and bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove the crust. Fillet and serve the fish. Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, Mastroberardino, 1994

SALT BAKED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the center. Rinse fish thoroughly, inside and out, until no traces of blood remain. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Stuff cavity of fish with a few lemon slices, a few sprigs of parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, and a bay leaf; set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together salt and egg whites until thoroughly combined. Spread a 1/2-inch layer of salt, about the size of the fish, in a baking dish. Arrange the remaining lemon slices, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves over the salt; place fish on top of herbs.
• Pour the remaining salt over fish, completely covering the body; the tail can stick over edge of pan. Using your fingers, pat down salt, completely sealing the fish.
• Place pan in oven, and cook until fish is done, allowing 15 minutes per pound. (One way chefs check for doneness is to insert a carving fork or metal skewer through the salt crust and into the fish, then place the skewer to the chin under lower lip for 15 seconds; if the metal feels very warm the fish is done.) Remove pan from oven; let sit 5 minutes.
• Gently break away the crust. Transfer fish to a cutting board. Using a paring knife and your fingers, peel away skin. Separate, and serve.

SALT-ROASTED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse fish thoroughly inside and out until no traces of blood remain. Pat fish dry with paper towels.
• In a large bowl, stir together salt and egg whites until thoroughly combined. Place a 1/2-inch layer of salt mixture in the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan. Place lemon rounds, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves on top of salt, arranging ingredients so they form shape of fish and reserving some of each ingredient. Fill fish cavity with reserved lemons and herbs; place the fish on top of mixture.
• Pour the remaining salt over fish, completely covering the body; the tail can stick out of the pan. Using your fingers, pat down salt, completely sealing the fish.
• Place pan in center of oven. Cook fish until done, allowing 15 minutes per pound. (One way chefs check for doneness is to insert a carving fork or metal skewer through the salt crust and into the fish, then place it to the chin under lower lip for 15 seconds; if the metal feels very warm, the fish is done.) Remove pan from oven; let sit 5 minutes.
• Gently break away crust. Transfer fish to a cutting board. Using a paring knife and your fingers, peel away skin. Separate, and serve.