this is is a good recipe to try if you want to impress your guests with presentation and flavor without spending too much time! it looks fancy but is actually very easy, and the fish baked inside the salt kiln is moist and delicious.
salt crust baked porgy
ingredients:
(12) oz. porgy, cleaned and gutted, but skin and scales intact.
(1) lemon
(1) mandarin orange
(2-3) sprigs of your favorite herb
- i am using parsley.
(3) egg whites
(2) cups kosher salt + a few pinches to season
optional garnishes:
lemon confit
lemon and mandarin slices + rosemary sprigs
direction:
1. preheat the oven at 400° f.
2. thinly slice (1) mandarin orange and (1) lemon.
3. season inside of (12) oz. cleaned and gutted porgy with salt. then stuff with mandarin orange & lemon slices (save some slices for garnishes) and (2-3) sprigs of herb and squeeze some lemon juice.
4. in a mixing bowl, beat (3) egg whites with hand mixer until soft peaks form. then gently fold in (2) cups of kosher salt.
5. lay a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread some salt mixture. place the stuffed porgy on the salt bed and cover it completely with remaining salt mixture. use a spatula to smooth it out.
6. bake the porgy in the preheated oven for about 30-35 min. until the salt shell is lightly browned and hardened.
7. using a pair of scissors, carefully cut the parchment paper on the bottom following the shape of the fish. then carefully transfer the fish to a serving plate.
8. using the back of a knife, gently tap and crack the salt shell open.
- you can do this in front of your guests!
9. carefully peel the skin, sprinkle some lemon confit, decorate with mandarin orange & lemon slices and rosemary springs, and serve.
yield: (2) servings