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1
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
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2
Cover the bottom of a baking sheet large enough to hold the fish with parchment paper.
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3
Rinse fish inside and out with cold water and drain.
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4
Dry with paper towels.
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5
Stuff body cavity with herbs and citrus, saving a few lemon slices for garnish.
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6
Set aside.
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7
Pour 1 box of salt into a large bowl, add egg whites and water, then the second box of salt.
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8
Use your hands to work mixture to a mortar-like consistency.
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9
Lay down a 1/2-inch thick bed for the fish to lay on with a 1-inch clearance on all sides.
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10
Lay the fish on this bed and pile the remainder of the salt mortar on top.
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11
Work into a smooth dome completely encasing the fish.
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12
(Don't worry if the head or tail poke out a little.)
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13
Cook approximately 35 minutes.
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14
Check for doneness by pushing the probe of an instant read thermometer through the salt into the fish.
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15
When temperature reaches 130 degrees, remove from oven, and rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
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16
Open the fish at the table by hitting the dome several times with a small hammer and lifting off the slabs of salt.
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17
Brush away any stray salt.
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18
Gently pull out dorsal (back) fin.
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19
Using a fish knife or serrated pie server, make a single incision all the way down the back of the fish and around the gill plate.
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20
Then lift the skin off working from the head to the tail.
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21
Remove meat from top side of fish, going down one side of the spine then the other.
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22
Grasp the tail and remove the skeleton, (it should come up intact).
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23
The meat revealed below will slide right off the skin.
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24
Sprinkle meat with a little virgin oil and lemon juice.
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25
Serve immediately.
