‘Peixe ao Sal’

Choose a good-sized fish such as a dorado or sea bass; clean and gut it, or have this done by your fishmonger; it's important to leave the skin on; 

1. Line a rectangular baking dish with coarse salt;

2. place the fish in lengthwise or diagonally so that it sits flat on the salt; 

3. cover with coarse salt; moisten your hands and flatten the salt so that it adheres well to the fish;

4. place into a very hot (260° C/500° F) preheated oven for 30 minutes for a fish to feed 3-4 or 45 minutes for a fish to serve 5-6.

Serving - Breaking the salt crust  

1. Bring the dish to the table;

2. Using a large-bladed knife, first remove all the salt around the fish and place it in a separate bowl; 

3. Break the salt crust off in pieces, sliding the knife blade under the skin so as to remove it with the crust; it's easier to work on one section at at a time;

4. Remove the fillets;

5. Remove the backbone; remove the other fillets, leaving the skin on the salt;

6. Check to be sure there are no bones; 

7. Serve hot, either plain or with tartar or hollandaise sauce.