Bass in a Guérande salt crust

Serves 4

Ask your fishmonger to gut the bass but do not remove the scales.

Preheat the oven to 210°C (Mark 7).

Fill the bass’ stomach with herbs (thyme, rosemary, fennel and tarragon) and a few grains of pepper.

Mix the Le Guérandais coarse grey Guérande salt with the egg whites and pour half the preparation into an oven dish.

Place the fish on the bed of coarse salt and cover it with the rest of the mix to a thickness of half a centimetre.

Place in the oven for 45 min.

Wash the potatoes and place them in a casserole dish with a lid.
Add a pinch of Le Guérandais coarse grey Guérande salt and two sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Simmer for 30 min.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: peel and slice the shallots. Place them in a thick-bottomed pan with the vinegar and wine and allow to reduce by two-thirds. On a very low flame, gradually mix in the cold butter, cut into strips, whipping all the time to obtain a creamy sauce (make sure you don’t let it boil). Season with Le Guérandais fine Guérande salt with organic herbs and pepper.

Remove the bass from the oven and let it stand for fifteen minutes. Present the dish to your guests and cut the crust at the table.

The crust should break cleanly with a knife.

Remove the fillets and serve them with the white butter sauce and the potatoes.