Yellow Tail Snapper Baked in a Salt Crust

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) whole yellow tail snapper, scaled and cleaned
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lemons, sliced thin
• 2 shallots, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling baking sheet
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 cup kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse the fish and pat dry; season it inside and out with salt and pepper.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon, shallot, parsley, 2 tablespoons thyme, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and 1/4-cup olive oil.
4. Place the fish on an oiled baking sheet and stuff the cavity with the lemon mixture.
5. In a clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
6. Fold in the salt to make a paste then fold in the remaining thyme leaves.
7. Smear the salt paste over the entire fish and roast for 35 to 45 minutes.
8. The egg whites will form a hard crust.
9. Gently crack the shell with a spoon and lift off the salt crust.
10. Serve.

snapper, kosher salt, lemons, shallots, flatleaf, thyme, bay leaves, red pepper, extravirgin olive oil, egg whites, kosher salt

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/yellow-tail-snapper-baked-in-a-salt-crust-recipe.html (may not work)