Red Snapper Baked in Salt

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2-pound whole red snapper, cleaned, leaving head and tail intact
• 2 pounds coarse salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 lemon
• fine-quality extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a bowl stir together salt and water until combined well. On a large baking sheet spread half of salt mixture in a rectangle just larger than the red snapper and set fish on top. Halve lemon crosswise and cut 3 slices from 1 half, reserving remaining half. Insert slices into cavity of fish. Pat remaining salt mixture over fish to cover completely and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes.
Rap all around edge of salt crust with the back of a large spoon to loosen and lift top off. Squeeze juice from reserved lemon half over fish and drizzle with oil.