Mesquite Salmon Food

MESQUITE-SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Combine chopped cilantro, wine, soy sauce and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• Whisk in oil a little at a time.
• Place fish in a nonaluminum pan.
• Pour marinade over; refrigerate salmon 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
• Remove fish from marinade and place on rack 30 minutes to dry.
• Pour marinade into smoker's water bath.
• Spread mesquite chips on rack of gas or electric smoker.
• Add onion and bay leaves to water bath and fill with water.
• Fill fish cavity with 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems.
• Oil smoker rack and set fish on rack.
• Cover smoker;set heat on high.
• Smoke salmon until fish is just opaque, about 1 hour.
• Cool 15 minutes.
• Discard skin and grey meat from fish.
• Set fish on platter;surround with cilantro and lemon slices.
• Serve at room temperature with Cilantro Sauce (Recipe #232006).
• To smoke fish in a covered barbeque, prepare medium-low coals in barbeque grill. Push coals to sides.Place marinade,onion and bay leaves in 7x11-inch disposable aluminum pan. Place in center of coals and fill with water. Spread mesquite chips over coals. Oil grill rack. Set fish on rack, cover and smoke,turning once and cooking until opaque, about 1 1/2 hours.

HOT SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• The night before serving, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, the peppercorns, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a large flat ceramic or glass dish. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• At least 1 1/2 hours before you plan to cook the salmon, soak the wood chips in water.
• Thirty minutes before you¿re ready to cook, heat the charcoal. Place a double layer of coals on one side of the grill, light them, and allow them to burn until the coals are gray on the outside. (I use a charcoal chimney to light the coals.) Sprinkle half the soaked wood chips on the hot coals (you will see lots of smoke). On the other side of the grill, place the foil pan and pour in 1 cup water. Place the cooking grate over the coals and the pan.
• Scrape most of the sugar mixture off the salmon and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place the salmon skin-side down on the side of the grill directly over the foil pan. Put the lid on the grill, making sure the top and bottom vents are open. Smoke the salmon for 10 minutes. Add the remaining wood chips directly on the coals and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until it's firm to the touch and barely cooked. Don't overcook the salmon or it will be dry!
• Transfer the salmon to a clean platter and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, if desired, and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold with the Fresh Dill Sauce.
• Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for a few seconds, until well mixed. Add the cucumber and puree for another few seconds, until combined. Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.