Salt Crust Baked Trout

Posted by Guest

Preparation Time 20 Min

Cook Time 40 Min

1 jar large grape leaves (about 40 leaves)
8 slices peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 lime slices
4 cleaned whole brook trout
6 pounds rock salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 250°.
Drain and rinse grape leaves; set aside.
Divide ginger, garlic slices, and lime slices evenly. Place in cavity of each fish; set aside.
Cover a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan with rock salt to a depth of 1cm. Arrange half of grape leaves on top of salt, leaving a 2cm border. Place fish on top of leaves. Cover the fish with 10 leaves, tucking leaves around fish. Place remaining leaves loosely over fish. Cover fish and leaves with a 1cm layer of rock salt. Bake at 250° for 35 minutes. Remove fish from oven; let stand 10 minutes.
Combine lime juice and next 4 ingredients (lime juice through serranos). Set aside.
Cover a large work surface with newspaper. Tip baking sheet gently over newspaper to remove loose salt. Use a small spatula to gently remove fish, still in grape leaves. Remove any salt from outside of leaves; peel away leaves, and discard. Arrange fish on individual plates; serve with sauce. Sprinkle fish with cilantro.