Yellow Tail Snapper Baked in a Salt Crust

Ingredients

• 2  bay leaves 
• 4  egg whites room temperature
• 0.3 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 1 cup kosher salt 
• 6 servings kosher salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 2  lemons sliced thin
• 0.3 cup olive oil extra-virgin plus more for oiling baking sheet
• 1 teaspoon pepper flakes red
• 2  shallots sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons thyme leaves 
• 3 pound tail snapper whole yellow cleaned

Equipment

• baking sheet
• oven
• mixing bowl

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse the fish and pat dry; season it inside and out with salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon, shallot, parsley, 2 tablespoons thyme, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and 1/4-cup olive oil.
3. Place the fish on an oiled baking sheet and stuff the cavity with the lemon mixture.
4. In a clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold in the salt to make a paste then fold in the remaining thyme leaves. Smear the salt paste over the entire fish and roast for 35 to 45 minutes. The egg whites will form a hard crust. Gently crack the shell with a spoon and lift off the salt crust.
5. Serve.