Whole Fish Baked in a Salt Crust

Preparation

1. Rip the top off a whole box of kosher salt and dump it into a big bowl. Add 2 large beaten egg whites and combine, using your hands or the hands of nearby children, until the salt has the texture of wet sand. Oil your scaled and gutted fish (a 3-pounder will be generous for two but can work for a lighter meal for four) and tuck herbs and/or sliced citrus into the cavity. Line a sturdy rimmed baking sheet with parchment and arrange a fish-shaped layer of salt on it. Place the fish on top and then mound the rest of the salt on top and gently pack it down so that the fish is completely enclosed. Bake it in a preheated 400°F oven for 7 to 8 minutes per pound, until the fish smells delicious and the salt crust is hard and golden brown. At the table, crack the crust with the back of a big serving spoon and remove the pieces of salt. Gently lift serving-size hunks of fish directly onto warm plates, and serve along with some good olive oil or garlic mayonnaise and, yes, a bit more salt.