Cedar-Plank Grilled Salmon
This dish was inspired by a dinner a number of years ago at the beautiful home of our friends, Carla & Tony. They served a delicious piece of salmon grilled on a cedar plank with a side of leeks (which were slowly sweating away during the dinner-prep process and filling the kitchen with the most mouthwateringly delectable smell; when they’d get a bit dry, Tony would dip a ladle into the giant pot of homemade stock he had simmering on the back of the stove and moisten the leeks with it.) Max recalls that salmon dish as one of the best he’d ever had (we all do!), and I’ve attempted to recreate it at Kitchen 511 for years. I’m not sure my technique is exactly the same or the end result is nearly as memorable as Carla & Tony’s, but it’s pretty delectable. While the leeks aren’t shown above, I have included the recipe below. The best way to eat them is to serve them atop the salmon. The combination of the smokiness of the salmon and the mild sweetness of the leeks is nothing short of divine.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients for Salmon
1 (2 pound) wild salmon filet with skin
1 large cedar plank
4 tbsps. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. honey
Freshly cracked pepper
Preparation
Submerge cedar plank in water 1 to 2 hours before cooking. Dry plank just before cooking.
Preheat grill on medium high.
While grill is heating, combine soy sauce & honey in a small bowl and whisk well. Pour into the bottom of a large platter.
Crack fresh pepper over flesh side of salmon, then place it flesh side down in platter with soy sauce/honey mixture. Let stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, until grill is heated.
Add cedar plank to heated grill rack, close cover, heat for 2 minutes and flip plank. Add salmon to heated plank (skin side down) and cook at 325° to 350° for 15-20 minutes (depending on thickness) until salmon is just cooked through and edges are browned.
Ingredients for Leeks
4 leeks (white and light green parts), trimmed and sliced thin. Rinse leeks in a bowl of cold water. Lift the leeks out of the water and drain in a colander. Repeat process if still dirty. Place on a clean towel to absorb excess water.
3 tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil (you can use half oil/half butter or all butter, if you prefer)
1/2 cup of stock (chicken or vegetable), optional
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and turn heat down to medium.
Stir frequently, until soft and beginning to brown, 15 to 25 minutes.
If the leeks get dry during the cooking process, add a few tablespoon of stock at a time to keep moist.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with salmon.
