Salt-Crusted Whole Trout with Charred Lemon and Brown Butter

Ingredients

Fish

• 2 whole rainbow trout, cleaned, head onAbout 350–400 g each, gutted and scaled, fins trimmed by the fishmonger. Ask for fish with clear eyes and firm flesh.

Salt Crust

• 1200 g kosher saltThis is the crust, not seasoning — do not substitute fine table salt.
• 4 egg whites
• 120 ml water

Fish

• 2 lemonsOne sliced thin for the cavity, one halved for charring.
• 6 sprig fresh dill, stems reserved

Brown Butter

• 60 g unsalted butterCut into pieces so it melts evenly.
• 2 tbsp capers, drained and patted dry
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oilFor finishing.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 220°C with a rack in the lower third. Whisk the egg whites with the water until loose and frothy. Stir the kosher salt into the egg white mixture with your hands until it holds together when squeezed, like wet sand — add a splash more water if it's dry. Pat the trout completely dry inside and out. Stuff each cavity with a few lemon slices and half the dill sprigs. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment.10 minKeep the salt mixture covered with a damp towel while you stuff the fish so it doesn't dry out.
2. Spread a 5 mm bed of the salt mixture on the parchment, slightly longer than each fish. Lay the trout on the beds, leaving 5 cm between them, and pack the remaining salt over and around each fish so they're fully encased, about 1 cm thick. Press firmly to seal — a small vent hole at the head end is fine.8 minThe crust should be snug but you don't need perfection; cracks won't ruin the fish.
3. Roast on the lower rack for 22–25 minutes, until the crust is firm, lightly browned at the edges, and a skewer poked through the thickest part meets slight resistance. Rest the fish in its crust for 5 minutes.Hands-off · 25 min
4. While the fish rests, char the halved lemons cut-side down in a dry cast-iron pan over high heat until blackened in spots, about 3 minutes. Set aside. In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat and let it foam, swirling, until the milk solids turn hazelnut brown, about 2–3 minutes. Pull it off the heat and add the capers — they'll sizzle — then the parsley and olive oil. Season with a small pinch of salt.5 minBrown butter goes from nutty to burnt in seconds; when it smells like toffee, it's done.
5. Crack the crust open with the back of a knife along the midline and peel it away in large pieces. Brush off excess salt. Skin the top fillet, then lift the whole spine free in one pull — it should come cleanly from head to tail — and check the flesh is opaque and just flakes. Divide the fillets between two warm plates, spoon over the brown butter and capers, and serve with the charred lemon halves for squeezing.5 minIf the flesh looks translucent at the thickest point, rewrap loosely in the crust remnants and rest 3 more minutes; carryover heat finishes it.