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Saumon en croûte de sel (Salt-baked salmon)

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Ingredients

  • Salmon whole, 3-4 lbs (1.5-2 kg)
  • Salt at least 4 lbs (2 kg)
  • Eggs 4
  • Lemon sliced
  • Herbs roughly chopped – thyme, basil, sage, whatever is wilting away in the crisper box

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • Combine the salt and the eggs.
  • Cover the largest baking sheet you have with aluminum foil. Place a layer of the salt-egg mix onto the baking sheet where the fish will lay.
  • Place the fish on top.
  • Fill the cavity of the fish with the lemon and herbs.
  • Cover the fish with the rest of the salt to form a crust. The head and tail will stick out from under the salt blanket.
  • Cook for 45 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven.
  • Remove the crust, discard the lemons and herbs and serve the fish.

Notes

The most complicated part of preparing the dish is gathering the ingredients. In our case, we bought a whole fresh salmon from the weekly market (prepare without too much delay because three days in the fridge is a smell you will not quickly get rid of). The fishmonger pulled out the major organs. No need to descale since the skin won’t be eaten but leave the head and tail intact. Many different fish can be salt-baked: flounder, sea bass, bream, whitefish, tilapia, to name a few.
We used a fairly rough grain of salt, but the recipe will also work with fine table salt.  Then 2 beaten eggs per kilo (2 lbs) of salt. A salmon that fits just barely in a standard oven when placed on an angle on a large baking sheet requires at least 2 kilos (4 lbs) of salt. Add a bit more salt to make sure you get a good crust.