Italian · Dinner
Salt-Crusted Whole Sea Bream
Orata al Sale Ligure
A whole sea bream encased in a salt crust with rosemary, thyme, and lemon, baked until the crust hardens to seal the moisture inside, then cracked open at the table to reveal flesh that lifts from the bone in pearl-white flakes.
$$$
10 minsPrep
25 minsCook
35 minsTotal
MediumLevel
Nutrition per serving
520Calories
48gProtein
24gFat
8gCarbs
1gSugar
0gFiber
1200mgSodium
98mgChol
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Instructions
1
Prep
Pat both sea breams dry inside and out. Stuff each cavity with 2 sprigs rosemary, 4 sprigs thyme, 3 lemon slices, 2 smashed garlic cloves, and a pinch of black pepper. Mix coarse salt, egg whites, and water in a bowl, stirring until it resembles wet sand. Preheat oven to 220°C.
2
Build
Spread 1cm salt bed on a large baking tray (or use two trays if needed). Lay both breams on top, pile remaining salt over and around each fish, patting firmly to fully encase. Leave tail tips exposed if needed for shaping ease.
3
Bake
Bake at 220°C for 24–26 minutes until crust hardens and turns pale gold. Internal temperature at spine reaches 60°C; hardened crust is the visual cue.
4
Rest
Remove from oven, rest on tray 3 minutes. While resting, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, fine sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
5
Plate
Crack salt crust at the table by tapping firmly along the centre line of each fish with a heavy knife back. Lift away top crust, brush away loose salt, lift fillets onto warm plates. Drizzle lemon-parsley dressing over fillets, serve immediately with a lemon wedge alongside each plate.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.
Serves
2 portions ·
2 adults, 0 over 10, 0 under 10
Ingredients
- 800g (28.2 oz) whole sea bream
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 lemon slices
- 4 garlic cloves
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1600g (56.4 oz) coarse sea salt
- 2 medium egg whites
- 4 tbsp water
- 90ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 2 lemon wedges