The Fish

Cedar Plank Salmon

Courtesy of Jason Owens
Simpatica Catering, Portland, OR

First of all, we leave the skin on the salmon, taking out the pin bones with needle nose pliers.  We then marinate the whole sides of salmon in soy sauce, brown sugar and green onions.  Just keep tasting the soy/brown sugar mix until is has the desired sweetness that you like.  You want the salmon to be completely submerged in the marinade.  Use the smallest container possible (it is ok for the side of salmon to be folded some), that way you can minimize the amount of marinade that you need.  Let the salmon marinate for two days.

One day prior to cooking, get an untreated cedar plank.  We get ours from Parr Lumber.  Make sure that it is untreated.  We get cuts that are 16 inches long and 1 inch thick.  Completely submerge the plank(s) in water for one day (you may need to weight it with something).

We barbecue our salmon with Mexican mesquite, but that is hard to source.  You may just want to get some mesquite at the store.  Chunks, not pellets or anything like that.  Once you have your grill at its hottest point, put the side of salmon on the cedar plank (this can be slippery so you have to have a steady hand).  Set the plank on the grill.

It usually takes about 30 minutes for the salmon to cook.  You can tell it is done when it is just firm, not hard.  We always have a bottle on hand with water in it (not a spray bottle).  If the edges of the board catch on fire, we simply pour a little bit of water onto the flames.  Just enough water to extinguish the flames.  Sometimes the plank needs to be moved because one part of the salmon is cooking faster than the other.  Adjust as necessary.

Smoked Salmon & Onion Tart

Courtesy of Chef Greg Higgins
Higgins Restaurant and Bar, Portland, OR

1 Pre-baked pie shell
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
1 stick unsalted butter
2 Tbsp All Purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
10 oz smoked flaked wild salmon
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in saute pan, add onions and sweat without browning (medium heat) until soft and translucent. Transfer to medium sized bowl and stir in flour, cream and eggs, gently fold in cheese and salmon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour in pre-baked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and set (45-60 minutes).

Sake-Cured Hot-Smoked Salmon

From Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen

Curing salmon gives it a wonderful texture and unforgettable flavor. Cures can be aromatic (with the addition of sake, star anise, sage, fennel, or dill) or simply consist of salt and sugar, leaving no extra flavors behind. The salt and sugar in a cure draw out the natural juices and water in meat and fish and intensify the flavor of the food.

A home-style smoker is a good investment. It can provide you with a whole new world of flavors, especially with fish or seafood. You can hot-smoke this cured salmon in a typical fisherman's smoker, like a Little Chief, which is inexpensive and easy to use. Carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions. Generally, home-smokers need to be used outdoors.

These servings may seem small, but the salmon is very rich. Serve It in combination with other seafood appetizers or as a part of a bento box. Because salmon is best cured overnight (hot-smoking these small pieces of fish took about 1 1/2 hours in our smoker), leave enough time to make this dish.

1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sake
8 sliced peeled fresh ginger coins, 1/8 inch thick
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pound salmon fillet, cut into 2-ounce pieces, skin removed
8 fresh sage leaves

1. In a bowl, whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, sake, ginger, garlic, and salt together until the sugar dissolves. Put the salmon pieces in a non-reactive container and pour the marinade over. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow the salmon to marinate in the refrigerator overnight, turning it occasionally.
2. Remove the salmon from the marinade, saving a little marinade to brush over the salmon just before smoking. Place the pieces on a rack sprayed with nonstick spray set over a baking sheet and let sit, refrigerated, for 2 hours to allow the glaze to set. Place a sage leaf on top of each piece of salmon and brush each one with the reserved marinade.
3. Use a home-smoker to hot-smoke the salmon according to the manufacturer's instructions.

ON THE PLATE: Japanese cucumber pickles make a good accompaniment.
A STEP AHEAD: You can make this a few days ahead and store it, covered, in the refrigerator,

Learn more about Salmon Season from Tom Douglas

Wild Salmon Carpaccio with Provençale Olive Vinaigrette and Fava Bean Blini

(Serves 6)
Courtesy of Chef Traci Des Jardins
Jardiniere, San Francisco, CA

1.5 pounds salmon filet, skin off
1/2 cup unpasteurized Provençale green olives, pitted and chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch of chervil, leaves picked

Thinly slice the salmon and pound until about an eighth of an inch thick, place into the center of individual large plates and chill. Mix together the lemon juice and olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper and add the green olives. When ready to serve, season the salmon well with salt and pepper and spread the vinaigrette evenly over the surface of the salmon. Sprinkle generously with the chervil and serve with the hot blini.

For the blini:
The fava beans are labor intensive, but worth it. One may elect to delete them.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 whole egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fava beans, husks and membrane removed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon clarified butter

Cook the fava bean over the lowest simmer for about 20 minutes or until very soft, purée and allow to cool. Mix together the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Add the fava bean purée and mix, season well with salt and pepper. Cook the blini in a Teflon pan for about two minutes on both sides.

Dishwasher Poached Salmon a la Ruth

Courtesy of Ruth Braithwaite
San Diego, CA

I'm sure I was not the first to cook a whole Salmon in a dishwasher, so I cannot take the credit, however I will tell you the recipe.

One whole cleaned Salmon, with head and tail left on.

Using sea salt, and pepper, season the inside of the cavity. Fill with sliced citrus fruits: orange, lemon and limes. Squeeze some of the juice over the Salmon. Wrap Salmon in very heavy duty foil twice, or even three times. Place on the top rack of the dishwasher (heat rises) and place the dishwasher on the pots and pans cycle. Let the dishwasher go once around on the pots and pans cycle for fish up to 3/4 lbs; twice around for anything bigger. Just unwrap and look, or test with a fork! It takes approximately 45 minutes to poach, and the dry heat finishes it off.

Serve on a platter with field greens and flowers (one on his eye) at room temperature. No pans to scrub!