with Braised Fennel and Garlic Aïoli

Here’s a dish guaranteed to elicit a few oohs and aahs from your guests as you carefully crack open the crust to reveal the steaming, fragrant fish within. In Italy, they call these magnificent creatures branzino; in New England and on the East Coast of America, they’re known by the less mellifluous name ­--striped bass.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup fava beans, outer skins removed
• 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Greens (leaves) of 6 medium fennel bulbs (reserved from Braised Fennel)
• 1 8­-­pound wild striped bass (see Note) cleaned, gutted, and scaled, head ­on
• 4 pounds kosher ­salt
• 12 large egg ­whites
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges, for garnish
• Garlic Aïoli

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 ­F.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the beans and cook for 1 minute. Drain and remove hard shells. Toss with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

3. Place a third of the fennel leaves inside the cavity of the ­fish.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the salt and egg whites with 3/4 cup water. Stir until a compact dough is formed, the consistency of a sand castle, so it can be molded. If the dough is runny, add salt as needed; if too thick, add water.

5. Coat the fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Take a third of the dough and spread it evenly, patting it down by hand, onto a baking sheet large enough to hold the fish. Form a depression to fit the size and shape of the fish. Lay a third of the fennel greens on top. Place the fish on the dough bed and cover it with the remaining greens. Spread the balance of the dough on top of the fish to blanket it entirely. Mold and press the dough to fit the shape of the fish ­snugly.

6. Bake the fish for 1 hour (10 to 12 minutes per ­pound).

7. Remove the fish from the oven. Crack the crust around the sides with a small hammer or the handle of a large kitchen knife, and lift the top using the blade of the knife. Discard the crust. Remove the fennel leaves and discard. Some of the fish’s skin will come off with the crust; clean the rest of the skin and excess salt by gently scraping with the side of a knife, a serving spoon, or a spatula. Garnish the fish with lemon wedges and serve with the braised fennel and garlic aïoli on the ­side.

Note: This recipe can also be prepared using red snapper. If the fish is too large to fit on the baking tray, remove the head and/or tail. Unless you plan on catching it yourself, you should order a large striped bass in advance from your fishmonger. Otherwise, you can substitute a farm­-­raised 1­-pound striped bass, which are available year round and can each be encrusted in their own salt dough and presented individually at the table. In this case, be sure to provide guests with a way of cracking open the salt crusts, and also provide a large bowl or dish for the discarded items. The salt crust should not be placed on the fish more than 45 minutes before ­baking.

Other Seafod Recipes

Grilled Mahimahi
Halibut en Papillote
Mediterranean Sea Bass
Mille-Feuille of Salmon and Caviar
Poached Salmon
Red Snapper a La Veracruzana
Salmon
Steamed Striped Bass