Preparation

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

涂盐地壳

• Rinse the salmon well, inside and out. Make sure there are no loose scales on the skin. Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels and put it on a large rimmed baking sheet or cutting board.

  Stuff the cavity of the salmon with your choice of aromatics, if using. Rub the skin of the fish all over with the olive oil (this will make it easier to remove the salt crust after roasting).

  在一个带橡胶刮刀的大碗中，将盐与蛋清和1/2杯水混合。将足够的盐混合物撒在大框烤盘的底部，使床厚约1/4英寸，大小与鲑鱼大致相同。将鱼放在盐床上。用手将鱼与剩余的盐混合物一起涂上，制成1/4英寸厚的外壳，将其围绕鱼的轮廓塑造。（尾巴或头可能会延伸到锅的边缘之外，因此不会被盐混合物覆盖 - 这很好。）

Roast the Salmon

• If using a remote probe thermometer, insert the probe near the spine behind the head (the thickest part of the fish). If using an instant-read thermometer, apply a marker (such as a piece of garlic or shallot) to the crust at this spot so you know where to check the temperature later.

  Roast until the thermometer registers between 135°F and 140°F, about 35 to 45 minutes (start checking at 35 minutes). Let the fish rest in its crust for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serve the fish

• Tap the salt crust with the back of a large metal spoon to break it.

  Using a large fork and the spoon, push the crust to the side so the fish is exposed. Then use a pastry brush to flick away any salt that’s sticking to the skin.

  With the spoon, gently scrape the skin off the top of the fillet and push it to the side.

  Run the spoon along the spine to separate the flesh from the bones. Use the fork to help move the flesh to serving plates.

  Once you’ve removed all of the top fillet, grip the tail end of the bones and pull them away to expose the bottom fillet. Push aside any aromatics stuffed into the cavity. Use the spoon to separate the bottom fillet from the skin.

  Spoon some of the fennel relish onto each portion and serve.