Pescado a la Sal is a Spanish favorite that provides a healthy entrée with flair and flavor. The Spanish enjoy their fish grilled on an open flame with lots of taste, bone-in, and yes, head on. Although grilling and serving a whole fish may seem daunting at first, it is surprisingly simple and provides a wide range of options for accompaniments.
There are many recipes for preparing this traditional dish. Spanish kitchens are stocked with a variety of dried and fresh herbs including, of course, saffron, made famous by the popularity of Paella. Another lesser-known star of the Spanish kitchen is tarragon. It is grown throughout Spain because of its weed-like tenacity in dry soil and carries a subtle flavor of anise that highlights the meatiness of the fish without overpowering its natural taste.
Here is a step-by-step guide to preparing and serving a whole fish. This recipe utilizes herbs and seasonings typically found in Spanish kitchens while offering a few shortcuts to help home chefs wow their guests without too much work.
Selecting the Fish
In Spain, the traditional dish uses Dorade (sea breem), complete with entrails, bones and scales. Although gray dorade is fished in southern Florida, it is not commonly found in the United States and Canada and is quite difficult to find outside of the Deep South. Fortunately, there are several great substitution options. Selecting a fish with the right texture is essential to proper presentation and the bone-removal that will occur at the table. Choose any thick, meaty fish that will not easily flake apart like Sea Bass, Red Snapper, and Rockfish from your local fishmonger or high-end supermarket. Ask the fishmonger to slice the fish in half and remove the entrails.
Ingredients:
1. One Box of Coarse Salt
2. Cracked Pepper
3. 6 sprigs of Fresh Tarragon
4. 1 bunch of fresh parsley
5. 2 lemons
6. 1 clove of Garlic
Preparation
1. Lay out aluminum foil to cover the area of the fish, with enough to fold over and create a pouch.
2. Cover the foil with a layer of coarse salt. Place fish on top.
3. In a food processor, combine juice of half a lemon, parsley, tarragon, one teaspoon of salt, garlic and 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Puree until combined into paste.
4. Coat the inside of the fish with the herb paste.
5. Slice remaining lemon and line the inside of the fish.
6. Tie fish together with cooking twine.
7. Cover the fish with the remaining coarse salt.
8. Seal fish in aluminum foil and poke hole in top of pouch.
9. Place on pre-heated grill, reduce to medium heat.
Depending on size, the fish will be ready in 20 to 30 minutes. Check the fish for doneness by placing a fork into the flesh. If the flesh flakes away easily, the fish is done.
Remove from grill and let rest for 7-10 minutes.
(Note: No grill? Bake fish at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until fish easily flakes away from the bone.)
To Serve:
To serve tableside, transfer foil to a large serving dish or serve directly from the make-shift pouch. Scrape salt from the fish, pulling gently to the sides as not to scrape off the skin. Cut twine. Insert knife deeply into fish, severing tendon at the top of the cut. Open fish. Using the knife as leverage, pull up gently, removing the skeleton in one movement. Cut into serving portions. Using a small spatula, remove flesh which will separate from the skin easily.
 |
