(*) Is given for two people, but may well offer for three or possibly four people, each according to size.
Rinse the sea bass thoroughly and remove the gills, but do not scale the fish! Clean the fennel bulb, cut in half, remove the stalk and cut the fennel into fine slices or possibly strips. Rinse the tarragon, shake dry, pluck off the leaves and roughly chop. Roughly chop the well-washed lemon including the peel.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees (230 to 240 degrees according to Tv broadcast).
Mix fennel, lemon pieces and tarragon, season with coarsely ground pepper and fill the sea bass with it.
Beat the egg whites until creamy. Stir the sea salt into the egg white to make a malleable mixture. If necessary, add a small dash of water, but the amount should not be too soft.
Spread about half of the salt mixture evenly on a baking tray and place the fish on top. Cover the fish with the remaining amount. Press the salt well into the shape of the fish and cook the fish in the oven for about thirty-five minutes.
Remove the fish from the stove and let it rest for ten minutes. Knock the salt crust and carefully peel the skin from the fish. The salt must not come into contact with the fish flesh.
Remove the fish meat from the middle bone and arrange it on warm plates.
Serve with cocktail tomatoes stewed in olive oil (in the TV program on a Ratatoui