Sea bass is one of the finest fish that live in the Cornish waters. This salt baked recipe is perfect when served with aioli and a simple fresh salad.

1. Preheat the oven to 200-220°c.
2. Put the sea salt into a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, your eggs, fennel seeds and the peeled rind or zest of the lemon.
3. Mix everything together until evenly moistened, then spread two-thirds of the mixture onto the base of a roasting tray in a thick even layer.
4. Stuff the cavity of the sea bass with the parsley and slices of lemon, then lay the fish on the salt and completely cover it with the remaining salt in another even layer around 1.5cm thick.
5. Pat it down firmly, then put into the oven for at least 15 minutes. Check it is cooked by using a skewer or thin bladed knife into the thickest part of the fish, when this is hot to the touch the fish is cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the salt for 10-12 minutes.
6. The salt will have formed a hard shell therefore, knock the salt around the edges with the back of a knife, if you're lucky, the whole top piece will lift off. Otherwise it will break away in pieces.
7. Carefully brush the excess salt off the fish, trying not to let the salt touch the flesh. If you can gently move the whole fish to a platter using a fish slice otherwise, you may have to do this in place.
8. Run a knife along the spine of the fish from the tail to the head, lift and carefully peel off the skin, then cut across the fish below the head. Use the knife to find the bones, then carefully lift the fillet up so the fish comes away.
9. Discard any bones and place the fish in big flakes on your serving plates.
10. Serve with aioli and a fresh salad.

Author BBQ Bill