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Cedar Plank Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
If using the one-inch-thick planks from Tasty Timber it’s a good idea to put something on the plank and then top it with the fish—lemon-lime-orange slices, dill branches, or whole green onions work very well and help keep the cedar flavor mild on the thicker boards.
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ to 2 lb. fresh salmon fillet, skin on
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Several grinds of freshly ground black pepper
Soak the cedar plank in warm water for 20 minutes. Brush the plank with olive oil.
Prepare coals (or gas grill) for grilling over hot fire (450˚F to 500˚F).
Combine the lime juice and garlic on a plate. Dip the salmon in the mixture, let it marinate for 12 minutes (6 minutes per side).
Sprinkle the salmon with chili powder then place it on the cedar plank and put the plank in the center of the grill.
Grill until it is just opaque in center and still very moist, about 20 minutes.
Have a spray bottle of water handy if the edges catch fire, but smoldering, smoking and charring on the underside of the plank is normal.
Serve the whole plank of fish on a large platter.
Serves 4 to 6
Pineapple Salsa
Instead of pineapple you can use chopped fresh peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, or pluots (apricot-plum hybrid), and try throwing in a handful of fresh blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or fresh basil
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and blend well. Serve 3 tablespoons salsa over fish, at room temperature.
Cedar Plank Swordfish
Plank cooking does extremely well with fish, but make sure your swordfish steaks aren’t more than one inch thick. Thicker steaks take longer to cook through and your plank may well flare up, no matter how long you’ve soaked it. If you wish to do a whole fish, butterfly it and cook it skin side down.
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
4 swordfish steaks
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch whole green onions
Soak a cedar plank in very warm water for 2 to 3 hours.
Prepare coals for grilling—a very hot 450˚F to 500˚F fire.
Combine lime, and orange juice, soy sauce, and garlic on plate. Dip the swordfish in the mixture and let marinate for 12 minutes (6 minutes per side). Sprinkle the fish with chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove the plank from the water, pat it dry, and brush the plank with olive oil.
Place the fish on the plank over a layer of green onions, and then place plank on the grill. Grill until the fish steaks are just opaque in the center and still very moist, about 20 to 25 minutes.
If the edges of the plank start to flame, douse it with spray from your water bottle.
Serves 4
Cedar Plank Veggies
When using a plank to cook veggies, try and cut them in the same approximate size and thickness to they all cook evenly. Try slices of acorn squash, parboiled beets, or Brussels sprouts, brushing each with olive oil. They are all delicious when cooked on a plank.
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
3-4 fresh whole carrots
Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Soak a cedar plank in very hot water for 2-3 hours.
Mix the vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, salt, pepper, and thyme in a flat Pyrex pan.
Prepare the asparagus by cutting off the bottom 1-2 inches. With a vegetable peeler, peel the lower 1/3 of each stalk, just taking off the hard outside layer all around.
Peel and cut the carrots lengthwise into stalks that are approximately the same thickness as the asparagus. Drop the carrots into salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then cool quickly in ice water. This keeps the bright color and brings them to the same tenderness as the uncooked asparagus.
Place the asparagus and carrots in the pan, and toss them with your hands to coat all the vegetables with the vinegar-oil marinade. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes.
Drain the plank, pat it dry, and brush it with olive oil.
Drain the asparagus and carrots, and alternate them on the surface of the cedar plank. Place the plank on the hot part of the grill and cook for 25-30 minutes until the asparagus is just tender.
Serve the carrots and asparagus on the charred plank, which you’ve placed on a serving plate. Let your guests remove the veggies with a small pair of kitchen tongs.
Serves 4
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