Ingredients

• 4 free-range egg whites
• 2 lemons
• zest only
• 2 bunches fresh basil
• leaves chopped
• 1.25kg/2lb 12oz sea salt
• 1 x 2kg/4lb 8oz whole sea bass
• scales and guts removed
• cleaned (ask your fishmonger to do this for you if you prefer)
• 200g/7oz smoked back bacon
• cut into lardons
• 600g/1lb 6oz cooked new potatoes
• sliced
• ½ red onion
• finely sliced
• 1 x 280g jar roasted artichokes in olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a large baking tray (big enough for the fish) with silicone paper.
• Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until foamy
• then add the lemon zest. Chop half of the basil leaves and add them to the egg whites
• then mix in all of the salt until well combined.
• Slice one of the zested lemons and fill the fish cavity with the lemon slices and half of the remaining basil.
• Spread one-third of the egg-white mixture onto the silicone paper lining the baking tray. Place the fish on top. Cover the fish completely with the remaining egg-white mixture.
• Bake the fish in the oven for 30 minutes
• or until the egg-white crust is golden-brown and the fish is cooked through (to check that the fish is cooked
• stick a knife through the egg-white crust into the centre of the fish
• then touch the blade of the knife - it should be hot.
• Remove the fish from the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes while you make the salad.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon lardons and fry for 3-4 minutes
• or until golden-brown and crisp at the edges. Transfer the bacon to a serving bowl.
• Add the cooked potatoes to the same pan and fry for a couple of minutes
• until heated through and browned on the edges. Add them to the bowl with the bacon
• then stir in the red onion and the remaining basil.
• Drain the artichokes
• collecting the oil in a bowl. Stir the artichokes into the salad
• and drizzle over some of the oil
• as desired
• to dress the salad. Season well with plenty of freshly ground black pepper
• then mix to combine.
• To serve
• carefully remove the salt crust from the sea bass using a sharp knife and a fork
• brushing any excess salt away from the skin of the fish as you go. Peel away the skin and lift the meat from the bones
• picking all the meat from the fish on one side before removing the spine and lifting out the rest of the meat. Remove any large bones as you go. Serve a spoonful of salad alongside each serving of fish.