Todd English makes salt-crusted branzino and squash soup

For fish:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine fennel, star anise, black pepper, garlic and allspice and mix to incorporate. Lay whole fish on a sheet pan and stuff cavity of fish with spice mixture then orange slices.

In another mixing bowl, mix salt, egg whites and water. Pack salt mixture over the top of fish, covering thickly and completely, and place in oven to bake. Bake about 45 to 50 minutes (factor 10 to 12 minutes per pound of fish).

For vinaigrette:

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together.

For soup:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, cut squash in half, remove seeds and coat in olive oil. Season the squash with salt and pepper extra-virgin olive oil and place in oven on a cookie sheet. 

While the squash is roasting, sauté onions, garlic and curry in extra-virgin olive oil until they begin to caramelize, then deglaze with vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and reserve.

When the squash is fork tender, remove it from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and place the flesh of the squash in the pot with the vegetables and stock.

Transfer soup into a blender, filling the pitcher only half way, and puree, starting on low. Be very careful not to burn yourself with the hot mixture.

From the blender, transfer pureed mixture into a new soup pot and repeat blending process with remaining soup mixture. After all of the soup is pureed, adjust seasoning to desired taste. (Add water or additional stock if soup is too thick.)

For salad garnish:

In a medium mixing bowl, add sliced apple, lentils, ginger, green onion, toasted pumpkin seeds and nutmeg, and toss together incorporating well.

For cocktail:

In a large shaker filled with ice, add all ingredients in order, except for the club soda. Shake hard and strain into pitcher with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with apples and cranberries.

For apple cranberry compote:

Peel and core apples. Add all ingredients to a medium stock pot and cook until cranberries pop and apples soften and break down, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, then place all ingredients into a blender and puree. Pour puree mixture into a china cap and strain to remove the excess spices and large chunks. Reserve for cocktail.