Sea bass in a rosemary-flambéed salt crust with fennel jus and pickled red onion

Ingredients

• 1 piece whole sea bass, gutted and scaled, very fresh, about 3 lb (1.4 kg)
• 2.5 kg coarse gray sea salt
• 4 pieces fresh egg whites
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch fresh bouquet garni
• 8 tbsp fruity extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 piece red onion
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 20 cl low-sodium clear chicken broth
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
• 6 cl anise liqueur, for flambéing
• 2 pieces fresh fennel bulbs
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 0.5 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley
• to taste whole black peppercorns

Method

1. Remove the sea bass from the refrigerator and pat it dry thoroughly with paper towels. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to take the chill off without letting the flesh warm up.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C) with convection. Place a heavy baking sheet on the middle rack for at least 15 minutes to preheat and store heat.
3. Coarsely crush the fennel seeds in a mortar. In a large bowl, mix the coarse salt with the egg whites, some stripped rosemary leaves, sprigs of bouquet garni, and the crushed fennel seeds until the texture resembles wet, compact sand.
4. Stuff the cavity of the sea bass with rosemary and bouquet garni, then season lightly with black pepper, leaving the inside unsalted.
5. Spread a 1/2-inch-thick (1.5 cm) bed of the salt mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper. Lay the sea bass on top, then cover completely with the remaining salt mixture to a thickness of 1/2 to 3/4 inch (1.5 to 2 cm), pressing firmly with your palms to seal the crust.
6. Slide the prepared fish on its parchment onto the hot baking sheet in the oven and bake at 425 °F (220 °C) for 25 minutes, until the crust is hard, dry to the touch, and lightly golden around the edges.
7. Meanwhile, very thinly slice the red onion. Toss it with the red wine vinegar, a splash of olive oil, a pinch of cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper, then let it macerate for 20 minutes at room temperature until the onion turns bright pink and tender.
8. Cut the fennel bulbs into thin wedges. In a skillet over medium-high heat (about 350 °F / 180 °C), warm a drizzle of olive oil and sear the fennel wedges for 4 to 5 minutes per side until nicely browned. Lower the heat, stir in the butter, and baste for 2 minutes as it foams, sizzles, and turns nutty. Cover and braise for 6 minutes until a knife tip pierces the fennel easily.
9. For the pan jus, pour the clear chicken broth into a small saucepan with a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of bouquet garni. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat (around 195 °F / 90 °C) and reduce for 10 to 12 minutes by half, until syrupy and glossy. Strain, stir in a splash of the onion pickling vinegar, and whisk off the heat with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
10. Remove the sea bass from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes without opening the crust, allowing the carryover heat to bring the internal temperature to 125 °F to 130 °F (52 °C to 54 °C) for tender, pearly flesh.
11. Gently warm the anise liqueur in a small saucepan over very low heat for 30 seconds to about 105 °F (40 °C). Immediately pour it over the salt crust, ignite with a long match, and let it flambé for 30 to 45 seconds until the blue flames subside.
12. Crack open the hardened salt crust along the edges using the back of a heavy spoon or a sturdy chef's knife, then lift off the top pieces in large sections. Gently peel away the top skin, which should release in one motion without tearing the flesh.
13. Lift the top fillets using a flexible spatula by gliding along the spine, then carefully remove the central bone frame and lift out the bottom fillets, taking care not to drag any salt crystals with the meat.
14. Arrange the golden fennel wedges on warm plates, set the pearlescent sea bass fillets on top, garnish with the drained pickled red onion, drizzle with the reduced pan jus, and finish with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, a grind of black pepper, and a drizzle of raw extra-virgin olive oil.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

560.6 kcal

Protein

13.99 g

Carbohydrate

17.58 g

Fat

46.16 g

Fibre

6.19 g

Calcium

30.16 mg

Iron

0.43 mg

Magnesium

18.35 mg