José Pizarro’s salt-baked sea bass

Name: José Pizarro’s salt-baked sea bass
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Spanish recipes
Ingredients: 1kg coarse salt; 5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked; 1 large whole sea bass (about 1kg), gutted and scaled; 2 oranges; 2 pink grapefruit; 2 chicory (red or white), leaves separated; 1 tbsp clear honey; 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; Micro herbs to garnish (optional)

José Pizarro

Published: 20 May 25
Updated: 4 Jun 25

Chef José Pizarro shares a favourite recipe for salt-baked sea bass with a beautiful chicory and citrus salad. This vibrant main course is ideal for relaxed summer entertaining.

Chef’s favourite: “This is one of those dishes I love to make when friends come round. The salt crust locks in all the moisture and flavour, and cracking it open at the table always gets a smile; it feels a bit special, without being over the top. It’s simple, full of flavour, and perfect for long, lazy lunches in the sun. Nothing fancy, just good cooking that speaks for itself and brings people together.”
Make ahead: You can salt-bake the sea bass a few hours in advance, then keep the flakes in the fridge until ready to serve but you lose the great reveal. The salad is best made fresh, but you can segment the fruit up to a day in advance and keep in the fridge.
Knife skills: To see how to segment citrus fruit visit the delicious. YouTube channel and watch chef Adam Byatt’s Essential Knife Kit video.

Fish cookery doesn’t have to be complicated. Browse more easy whole fish recipes.

Serves 4
Prep time 20 min. Cook time 30 min

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Ingredients

1kg coarse salt
5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1 large whole sea bass (about 1kg), gutted and scaled
2 oranges
2 pink grapefruit
2 chicory (red or white), leaves separated
1 tbsp clear honey
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Micro herbs to garnish (optional)

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put the salt and thyme leaves in a bowl and add just enough water to make the salt feel like wet sand. Spread a bit less than half on a baking tray, put the sea bass on top, then cover completely with the remaining salt, making sure there are no gaps. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the salad. Top and tail the oranges and pink grapefruit, then use a sharp knife to cut away the skin and white pith (see Be A Better Cook). Cut the fruit into segments, put them in a bowl and toss with the chicory leaves, honey and olive oil.
Once the fish is cooked, crack the salt crust open; the skin should come away with the salt crust, exposing the white meat.
Divide the salad among serving plates, then add flakes of the sea bass on top. Garnish with micro herbs if you like.

Recipe from June 2025 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 442kcals
Fat: 27g (4.7g saturated)
Protein: 24g
Carbohydrates: 20g (20g sugars)
Fibre: 4.6g
Salt: 1.7g

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