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Loup de Mer in salt dough on a white plate with sauce Vierge, Provençal table setting, elegant white wine glass

Loup de Mer in salt dough with sauce Vierge

Whole sea bass, cooked in a thick coating of sea salt and egg white - one of the finest techniques in Mediterranean fish cuisine. Served with a Provençal sauce Vierge made from tomatoes, olives, capers, herbs and olive oil. Festive and pure - ideally accompanied by a Cassis AOC from Provence.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Festive dish, Fish dish, Main course
Cuisine French, Mediterranean, Provençal
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 410 kcal

Cooking utensils

  • 1 Large baking tray or roasting tin
  • 1 Large bowl for the salt dough
  • 1 Sharp fish knife and cutting board
  • 1 Small pan (for the sauce Vierge)
  • 1 Thermometer (optional, core temperature 58 °C)
  • 1 Hammer or heavy knife to break open the salt coating

Ingredients
  

FOR THE LOUP DE MER IN SALT DOUGH:

  • 1 Whole sea bass approx. 800 g-1 kg, gutted, scales left on
  • 1 kg coarse sea salt
  • 2 Protein
  • 2 EL Water
  • Fresh thyme Rosemary and 1 bay leaf (for the abdominal cavity)
  • 1 Lemon cut into slices (for the abdominal cavity)

FOR THE SAUCE VIERGE:

  • 3 Fully ripe tomatoes cored and finely diced
  • 12 Kalamata olives cored and coarsely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp capers pickled in salt, rinsed
  • 1 Shallot finely diced
  • 1 Garlic clove finely grated
  • 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil best available
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp fresh basil finely plucked
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
  • Salt and white pepper

Preparation
 

PREPARATION:

  • Preheat the oven to 220 °C top/bottom heat.
  • Mix the coarse sea salt, egg white and water in a large bowl to form a malleable mass - it should feel like damp sand.
  • Stuff the inside of the sea bass belly with thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and lemon slices.
  • Spread a layer of salt about 1 cm thick on the baking tray, slightly larger than the fish.

COOKING STEPS:

  • Place the sea bass on the salt layer.
  • Sprinkle the remaining salt over the fish and shape into an even, seamless coating with your hands.
  • Bake in a hot oven for 25-30 minutes until the salt coating is firm and lightly browned.
  • To make the sauce Vierge, heat all the ingredients in a small pan over a very low heat (do not boil!) until the olive oil is fragrant.
  • Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and white pepper.
  • Sauce Vierge is a raw sauce - it should not boil, only become lukewarm.

DIRECTIONS:

  • Smashing salt coats at the table with a hammer or the back of a heavy knife - that's part of the experience.
  • Remove the salt, peel off the skin and remove the fillets cleanly from the bone.
  • Arrange the fillets on warmed plates.
  • Drizzle generously with sauce Vierge and serve alongside.
  • Garnish with a sprig of fresh tarragon or basil.

SUPPLEMENTS:

  • Steamed jacket potatoes with sea salt butter
  • Toasted baguette
  • Steamed fennel with orange zest

Nutritional values per portion

Calories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 6gFat: 24g
Keyword Bake whole fish, Cassis AOC, Loup de Mer salt dough, Provençal recipe, Sauce Vierge, Sea bass salt dough, Wine accompaniment fish, Wine with food
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