Cedar plank salmon on the grill

Photographer: Kurt
Serves 4 to 6

Firstly – Happy New Year! From myself and the team here at ‘Our Kitchen’. Hope the celebrations went well and your head is not too sore today. If you are feeling good and the sun is shining at your place then it’s time to get that grill out and share this great recipe with friends.

This is my second variation on the cedar plank salmon, last time was campfire styles under the crisp clear spring sky with the beautiful Papanui Inlet as the backdrop.  The vista was definitely the star then, this time we are on the roof of the office in a cage with one big smok’n grill pumping out the heat – a stark contrast, but at the end of the day it’s the food that does the talking.  Enjoy 2015.

INGREDIENTS

For the Grill
1 large salmon fillet, pin boned with skin left on
20 Mushrooms, fresh or dried (assorted verities)
Bottle of white wine (we used Sauvignon blanc)
2 cedar planks (untreated)
1 Water spray bottle
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce
1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 – 3 tsp milk
Salt

To plate
1 cup of Fresh peas
1 fennel bulb sliced thinly

METHOD


1. Soak the cedar planks in the white wine for 2 hours. Make sure the planks are completely covered in liquid if there is not enough wine just top up with a little water. If you are using dried mushrooms now is the time to get them soaking in a bowl of water
2. Heat your grill up
3. Mix all the sauce ingredients together and leave to stand in the fridge.
4. Remove planks from the wine and place the salmon fillet (portioned or whole – your choice) on one plank and mushrooms on the other. Place your salmon and mushrooms in the grill with the hood down, turn the grill down to a medium heat.
5. Grill for about 20 minutes, make sure you keep an eye on the planks in the grill they should be smoking not on fire, if they do catch fire, give them a quick squirt of water from your spray bottle and back off the heat.
6. Remove the salmon and mushrooms from the grill, sprinkle with a little salt, and then boil your peas.
7. Plate up your fennel top with a generous portion of salmon, a few smoked mushrooms, spoon some the creamy dill sauce over the salmon and top with a few peas.
Note: if you are going to serve the salmon on the cedar plank, as an extra nice touch – create burn marks on the plank by sear the top of the plank in the grill before placing the salmon on it to cook.