Clean and rinse the abdominal cavity and head of the fish well. Dab dry and season sufficiently with pepper, season a tiny bit with salt from the inside, brush the unscaled skin with olive oil. Stuff sea bass with shallots, thyme, garlic clove and lemon slices.
Salt crust: mix egg whites with the salt. On a baking sheet or in an ovenproof dish, layer about an inch of the mixture to the approximate dimensions of the fish. Place the stuffed fish on top, cover with the remaining salt and press the salt well with your hands.
Bake the fish in the oven heated to 180 °C for 45 min. Take it out of the oven and leave it on the oven door for another 15 min. Cut the salt layer from the bottom all around with a serrated knife and lift off the top. Lift off the skin of the fish and fillet the fish at the side line which is now clearly visible. Remove the center bone and carve the bottom fillet the same way as the top.
Serve: Serve with “minced potatoes with chives” (=> separate recipe).
Olive oil coulis: sweat shallot in a little bit of olive oil, add the whole garlic clove and fill up with clear soup and wine. Make ten min, mix maizena (corn starch) with a little bit of stock and thicken sauce slightly with it.
Blend in olive oil, season with pepper and salt, stir in diced tomatoes and parsley.
Our tip: Always use fresh chives if possible.