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Grilled Wild Alaska King Salmon |
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Tuesday, 13 May 2008 |
I usually serve grilled salmon with some kind of sauce, but when the great runs like Copper River and Yukon River are in full swing and wild salmon is at its peak, the fish is perfectly wonderful simply grilled and otherwise unadulterated. In this menu the salmon is served on top of a bed of flavorful spring asparagus and potatoes tossed with chive oil; this vegetable accompaniment serves the function of sauce, enhancing the salmon without detracting from it.
(Serves 6)
Six 8-ounce fillets of salmon, each about 1-1/2 inches thick
About 3 tablespoons canola oil
Sea salt, to taste
1.) Build a fire in your backyard barbecue using your choice of charcoal or hardwood, or a combination. Allow the fire to blaze and then settle into a pile of coals. A bed of embers spotted with small, lively flames is the goal. Wipe a rack with an oily cloth and position it about 6 inches above the coals. (Alternatively, heat a stovetop grill over high heat until a few drops of water bounce and evaporate immediately on its surface.)
2.) Coat the salmon fillets lightly with oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place the fillets, skin-side-up, on the grill and broil until the fish has nice chocolate-brown stripes from the grill, about 5 minutes. If the oil ignites while the salmon is grilling, cool the flames with a little water, splashing it on or using a squirt gun, otherwise, smoke from the flames will leave an oily black residue on the fish. With a long spatula, turn the fillets once and broil until the sides of the fillets show spots of white that look like egg whites, about 3 minutes more.
3.) Lift the salmon filets off the grill, and put them on a flat baking sheet, skin-side down. If the salmon needs a few minutes more cooking time, pop it into a preheated 350 degree oven for a couple of minutes. To serve, gently shimmy a spatula between the fish and the skin, leaving the skin behind on the baking sheet.
4.) Move the grilled and skinned salmon portions to the platter lined with asparagus and potatoes, sprinkle on a few chive blossoms if you have them and serve at once.
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