Dancing Spoon

Whole Fish in Salt Crust

Italy Delicious

by Ashley Bartner

Whole Fish in Salt Crust: Pesce in Crosta di Sale
This is delicious healthy fish dish that comes out super moist & buttery every time with a dramatic table-side presentation! Don't be afraid of the name - it is not salty at all. In fact the salt crust seals in moisture essentially steaming the fish inside. Because the salt absorbs the moisture, the texture and taste of the fish ultimately is more that of roasted than steamed fish.

Ingredients
Whole fish (we use Spigola or Orate but you can use any whole round fish you like or that looks good at the market on any given day)
Lemon
Parsley
Pepper Flakes
Sea Salt, course ground or rock salt
Egg
Olive Oil

Directions
1. Stuff the cavity with parsley & lemon slices.
2. In a separate bowl put 3 1/2 pounds of coarse sea salt per 1 1/2 pounds of fish, a small handful of pepper flakes, rind of one lemon and one egg for each fish & mix. (You can add any herbs you like - rosemary, thyme, garlic cloves - it doesn't matter you are just flavoring the salt.) It should have the consistency of for making good sand castles, add a water a little at a time to achieve this consistency.
3. Rub the fish down with olive oil and then lay a 1/2 inch bed of salt in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place down the fish and cover with the remaining salt. There should be a 1/2 inch crust of salt all around the fish. It is not necessary to cover the head & tail.
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-40 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. You can insert a fork into the center of the fish & when the tips are hot the fish is done. The fish will stay warm in the salt crust for well over an hour - this is something you can do ahead of time as pull it out as your guests arrive.
5. Crack the salt crust table side - for a dramatic entrance of the secondo! Use a pastry knife to gently brush away excess salt.

Tutti a tavola — everyone to the table!

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Ashley Bartner is living the foodie dream in Italy. Together with her Chef-husband Jason, they own and run La Tavola Marche  an organic farm, inn and cooking school in Central Italy's region of Le Marche.

Best Potato for Potato Salad

Tips Tasty

by Anna Tourkakis

Start with the Right Potato
For a great potato salad, start with the right potato.

Salads are a staple of summer menus. Ever present at cookouts, picnics and just about any party this time of year is the potato salad. Making a great potato salad starts with the right potato. Choose a potato that remains in distinct pieces after cooking. The right choice is the waxy type potato. 

There are two basic types of potatoes, waxy and non-waxy. The difference is due to their relative content of sugar and starch. The waxy potatoes are high in sugar and low in starch. The non-waxy potatoes are just the opposite: high in starch and low in sugar. These qualities influence how well they hold their shape during cooking.

Non-waxy type potatoes, such as the Idaho or russet potato, with their higher starch content, are ideal for mashing, baking and frying.  The waxy potato, such as Yukon gold and red potatoes, with their low starch content, are better suited for preparing boiled potatoes. Waxy potatoes retain a distinct outline after cooking is completed and hold their shape well during preparation.  Usually, potatoes that are round in shape, with a thin, smooth, and lighter colored skin tend to be waxy; long flat potatoes with thicker, darker, and coarser skin tend to be non-waxy.   

The potato of choice for a potato salad boasting solid pieces are Yukon gold, red potatoes, and other varieties of waxy potato.  

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