Cedar Planked Fresh Salmon Fillet With Spiced Cranberry Relish Food

CEDAR PLANK SALMON WITH CELERY SALAD AND CURRANT PINE NUT RELISH

Steps:

• For the salmon: Preheat a smoker for cooking to 225 degrees F and preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the cedar planks from the water and pat the surfaces dry. Put the cedar planks on a baking sheet. Place the salmon portions skin-side down on the cedar planks. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Evenly top the salmon with the parsley and lemon zest. Place the baking sheet in the smoker and allow the salmon to smoke just until it has been slightly infused with smoke flavor, about 15 minutes. Remove from the smoker and immediately transfer to the oven to finish cooking, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until room temperature, or refrigerate and serve the next day.
• For the currant and pine nut relish: Combine the vinegar, currants, honey, shallots and mustard seeds in a small pot. Heat the pot over medium-high heat until bubbles begin to form, then lower the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Continue to cook until the currants have plumped and the liquid has reduced and become slightly viscous, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the pine nuts. Season the relish with salt.
• For the salad: Dress the celery, celery leaves and cilantro in a medium bowl with the olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, flaked salt and pepper. Top the salmon with the celery salad and a spoonful of the currant and pine nut relish and serve.

CEDAR PLANKED FRESH SALMON FILLET WITH SPICED CRANBERRY RELISH

Steps:

• Soak the cedar plank or shingle in water 3 to 4 hours.
• Combine all relish ingredients in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is tender and mixture thickens. Cool.
• Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, orange juice, ground ginger and honey in shallow dish; add the salmon, skin side up. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat the grill/broiler to medium-high for indirect heat. Place the soaked plank on or under the grill for 3 to 4 minutes - or until the planks start to spit and crackle. Place the salmon skin side down on to the hot plank; place on or under the grill and grill for 20 to 30 minutes or until flesh is opaque and flakes easily with fork. Continually baste the salmon with the excess marinade as it cooks.
• Or, for those who are going to use a barbecue, light the barbecue and allow it to heat up for about 5 minutes; then place the soaked plank on the grill for 3 to 4 minutes - or until the planks start to spit and crackle. Put the salmon skin side down on to the hot plank and close the lid on the barbecue. You must monitor the cooking as the plank will buckle, crack, smolder and even catch on fire! Baste with excess marinade and cook as before.
• This style salmon can be served in several different ways. If the plank is smoldering, extinguish the smoldering parts of the plank. Using a large serving tray, place kale or rainbow chard leaves around the perimeter of the serving tray and place the plank in the middle of the tray with the leaves partially tucked under the edges of the plank. Serve with garlic roasted or steamed new potatoes, wild rice, steamed asparagus topped with bearnaise sauce and the cranberry relish of course!

CEDAR PLANK SALMON

Steps:

• Soak cedar plank in salted water for 2 hours, then drain. Remove skin from salmon fillet. Remove any remaining bones. Rinse the salmon under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Generously season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Lay the salmon (on what was skin-side down) on the cedar plank and carefully spread the mustard over the top and sides. Place the brown sugar in a bowl and crumble between your fingers, then sprinkle over the mustard.
• Set grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high. Place the cedar plank in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook until cooked through, around 20 to 30 minutes. The internal temperature should read 135 degrees F. Transfer the salmon and plank to a platter and serve right off the plank.
• Cook's Note: A direct method to grill the salmon may be used. Soak the cedar plank well. Spread the mustard and brown sugar on the salmon, but do not place the fish on the plank. Set up the grill for direct grilling on medium-high. When ready to cook, place the plank on the hot grate and leave it until there is a smell of smoke, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the plank over and place the fish on top. Cover the grill and cook until the fish is cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 135 degrees F. Check the plank occasionally. If the edges start to catch fire, mist with water, or move the plank to a cooler part of the grill.

CEDAR PLANKED SALMON

Steps:

• Soak the cedar planks for at least 1 hour in warm water. Soak longer if you have time.
• In a shallow dish, stir together the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, and garlic. Place the salmon fillets in the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to one hour.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. Place the planks on the grate. The boards are ready when they start to smoke and crackle just a little.
• Place the salmon fillets onto the planks and discard the marinade. Cover, and grill for about 20 minutes. Fish is done when you can flake it with a fork. It will continue to cook after you remove it from the grill.

CEDAR PLANKED SALMON WITH SPICE RUB

Steps:

• Soak plank in a tub of cold water for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• Score top side of salmon in about 2"/5cm diagonal strips but do not cut through the skin.
• Rub olive oil into salmon.
• In a small bowl combine sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper and cumin.
• Rub into slits.
• Allow salmon to marinate 10 to 20 minutes.
• Place salmon on soaked plank.
• Place the whole thing, plank and salmon, on the rack of a barbecue.
• Close the lid or cover fish with an inverted metal baking dish and barbecue 20 to 25 minutes or until salmon is cooked through.
• Remove cover for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Do not turn fish during cooking. This can be brought to the table on the plank decorated with fresh herbs or the salmon can be transferred with a wide lifter to a serving platter or a clean plank.
• Bonnie Stern.