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The main dish, French classic

Salt crusted sea bass with beurre blanc

Salt crusted sea bass is a whole fish sealed in a hard shell of coarse salt and baked, served with a beurre blanc and baby potatoes, for 6 people. It takes about 30 minutes of active work and comes together the same day, with the crust built in the morning and the sauce and baking done just before guests arrive. It's a moderate difficulty dish at roughly €10.40 per person, and the trick is sealing the fish completely so it steams rather than roasts.

A whole sea bass sealed under its salt crust, which I crack open right at the table, pure theater, finished with a beurre blanc to pour over.

Salt crusted sea bass with beurre blanc
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
1 h 10
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€10.40
Calories per person
450 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Under its hard white shell, the sea bass cooks in its own steam, and not a grain of salt actually reaches the flesh. What you get is pearly, moist fish that nearly melts, with fennel tucked inside the belly adding a soft anise note without ever taking over. It's a whole fish that keeps all its flavor, finished with a classic beurre blanc, tangy and light.

This is the dish for dinners where you want to make an impression without spending the whole evening in the kitchen. Cracking the crust open in front of your guests never fails to land, and behind that bit of theater the dish stays simple, potatoes, a fish, a butter sauce whisked at the last minute. It works well for a birthday, a spring or summer gathering, a menu that starts light and ends on a refined note.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps
  3. Before the guests arrive 3 steps, 1 h 02
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

In the morning, stuff the fish and seal it inside its salt crust, then keep it chilled until evening. Just before your guests arrive, cook the potatoes, make the beurre blanc, and bake the fish for 25 minutes. At serving time, crack the crust open at the table, lift off the fillets, and spoon over the beurre blanc in front of everyone.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Sea bass, 1.5 kg, scaled and not gutted 1

Pantry

  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1.5 kg
  • White wine vinegaroften in the pantry 5 cl
  • Dry white wine 10 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Egg whites 3
  • Butter 150 g
  • Heavy cream 2 tbsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Fresh fennel 2
  • Lemon 1
  • Thyme 4 sprigs
  • Baby potatoes 1 kg
  • Shallots 3

Allergens Fish, Eggs, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Stuff the belly of the sea bass with lemon slices, thyme, and fennel. Mix the coarse salt with the egg whites until you get a damp, sandy paste.

    Add a splash of water if the salt won't hold together.

  2. Spread half the salt on a baking sheet, lay the fish on top, and cover it completely, leaving no gaps. Keep it chilled.

    Let the head and tail poke out for a more dramatic presentation.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, and keep warm. 20 min

    A knife tip should slide in with no resistance.

  2. Make the beurre blanc. Reduce the chopped shallots with the wine and vinegar until only about two tablespoons remain, stir in the cream, then whisk in the cold diced butter off the heat. 12 min

    Whisk constantly and keep the pan just barely warm, the butter shouldn't melt into oil.

  3. Bake the fish under its crust at 220 degrees for 25 minutes, then let it rest for 5 minutes. 30 min

    Figure roughly 15 minutes per 500 g of fish.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Crack the crust open at the table with the back of a large spoon, remove the skin, and lift off the fillets. Serve with the beurre blanc and the potatoes.

    Brush off any salt grains left on the flesh before serving.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a very fresh sea bass that's scaled but not gutted, the guts protect the flesh during the long bake under the salt.
  • Never salt the inside of the fish, the crust alone does plenty of work through the steam it traps.
  • Serve the beurre blanc in a separate sauce boat rather than pouring it ahead of time, the salt crust releases a bit of moisture as it sits.

The variations

  • Swap the sea bass for a gilthead bream of similar size, the cooking time stays the same.
  • For a faster version, bake the fish in a classic parchment parcel instead of under salt, you lose the crust effect but save on prep time.
  • For kids, lift the fillets off in the kitchen before serving and offer just the fish and potatoes, skipping the crust reveal, which can catch them off guard.

What to serve it with

  • A crisp dry white wine, like Chablis
  • A simple green salad to start
  • Shaved raw fennel with lemon

Storage

Leftover fish keeps for one day in the fridge in a sealed container, best eaten quickly since cooked fish doesn't hold well. Beurre blanc doesn't freeze and reheats poorly, so it's better to make it fresh right before serving.

Questions about this recipe

Can you prep the salt crusted sea bass ahead of time?

You can stuff the fish and cover it in salt in the morning, then keep it in the fridge until evening. The actual baking always happens right before serving, so the flesh stays hot and moist.

How do you know the fish is cooked under the crust?

Figure about 15 minutes of baking per 500 grams of fish, so 25 minutes for a 1.5 kg sea bass. The crust should be hard and lightly golden at the edges.

Does the fish end up too salty?

No, the skin stays intact under the crust and keeps the salt from reaching the flesh. The salt is only there to create a steamy shell that cooks the fish gently.

Can you use a different fish instead of sea bass?

A gilthead bream of similar size works just as well with the same method and timing. Avoid thinner fish, which would overcook under that much salt.

Can a salt crusted sea bass be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 3 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a salt crusted sea bass?

Allow 1 h 10 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a salt crusted sea bass?

About 450 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a salt crusted sea bass cost?

About €10.40 per person, that's €62.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, eggs, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu
Tarte Tatin The dessert

French classic

Tarte Tatin

  • 40 min of work
  • Prepared the same day
  • Medium, €1.60 per person

510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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