Salt Baked Fish Recipe

SALT BAKED FISH

4 c. salt
1 whole red snapper, striped bass or porgy (about 1 1/2 lbs) cleaned and scaled
1 lemon
3 sprigs rosemary or thyme

Preheat oven to 450F. Line 13" by 9" baking pan with foil; spread 2 c. salt in bottom of pan.

Rinse fish inside and out with cold running water; pat dry with paper towels. Cut 3 slices of lemon. Cut remaining lemon into wedges. Place lemon slices and rosemary or thyme sprigs in cavity of fish. Place fish on bed of salt; cover with remaining 2 cups salt. Bake until fish is just opaque throughout when knife is inserted at backbone, about 30 minutes. To serve, tap salt crust to release from top of fish; discard. Slide cake server under front section of top fillet and lift off fillet; transfer to platter. Slide server under backbone and lift it away from bottom fillet; discard. Slide cake server between bottom fillet and skin and transfer fillet to platter. Serve with reserved lemon wedges.

Yield: 2 main dish servings

Per serving: about 188 calories, 37 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 3 g total fat (1 g saturated), 66 mg cholesterol, 800 mg sodium