Grilled Meditererranean Cedar Plank Salmon

Picture from Skinnytaste.com

What a pleasant surprise it was yesterday while shopping at Costco to find Copper River Salmon.  I remember about 10 years ago when we were in Alaska passing the Copper River and seeing the fisherman standing in the river waiting for the salmon to bite. 

This has become my go to recipe for salmon because if its ease and the ingredients, except for the salmon are either in the house or easy to grab at Andy's.  We've always placed a couple of hearty sprigs of rosemary under the salmon which gives a delicious rosemary flavor to the meat.  I think next time I may try basil fresh from the garden.  Last night I had I fillet about the size of a large cedar grilling board and, unfortunately, no relish left over to go with the leftovers. It's a hit with the men in this house.

I had no opportunity to take my own picture so I borrowed a picture from Skinnytaste.com, one of my favorite blogs.  Hopefully next time I will remember to snap my own photo!

Grilled Mediterranean Cedar Planked Salmon

Serves 4

1 cedar plank
1 (1 1/4 pound boneless) wild salmon fillet  (I've made successfully with several small fillets)
1 lemon, halved
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp black pepper (I used TJ's lemon pepper)
a few sprigs of oregano or thyme, optional (I used rosemary and want to try basil)
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, quartered in long strips
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
black pepper, to taste
Oregano to garnish

Directions:

Soak plank in water 1 hour. 

Slice half of lemon in this slices.  Season salmon with remaining 1/2 lemon, salt, .oregano and black pepper.  Cover a refrigerate until ready to grill. 

In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, onions, olives, olive oil, salt, pepper and vinegar.

Place herbs and salmon skin side down, on plank.  Top with lemon slices. 

Heat the grill to medium high, leaving some indirect heat.  Close lid and heat.  Place empty plank on hot side for 3 to 4 minutes, until the plank starts to smoke and gets a little charred on bottom and edges.  (Check to make sure the board doesn't ignite.  Transfer plank to indirect heat side, cover and grill 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness, or until cooked through to preference.

When cooked top with tomato mixture and serve.

Adapted slightly from Skinnytaste.com


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Spicy Lime Grilled Shrimp

 I hope that once school starts I can be better about keeping this blog up!  Trying to get caught up on the garden, making sure all was going well with Jane and planning for the school year has left me less time to keep posting my new recipes.  The picture we took the first time we had this have been sitting on my desktop for weeks, and I had to go back and search to find the recipe again, which defeats the purpose of the blog!

This is about the easiest recipe for shrimp found.  The original recipe called for a lot more Cajun seasoning, so someone with spicier taste could up the amount.  I cut the recipe in half to serve just the two of us.  In our house shrimp is easy fast food!  Tomorrow I'll post the salad I made, which could be meal itself.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of shrimp

1/2 of a Tablespoon of Cajun seasoning

Juice of of a 1/2 lime

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:

Mix together shrimp, Cajun season and lime juice and marinate in refrigerator while grill heats.  (I place on skewer.)

Lightly grill grate, grill  2  minutes per side.

Printable Recipe

Adapted from  All Recipes

Turkey Burgers with Chipotle Chili Tartar Sauce

 These have been a standard for grilling at our house ever since I discovered the recipe.  I love it with arugula, but often use whatever lettuce I have on hand.  The original recipe called for dill, but with the chipotles I decided to try cilantro.  We liked it so well and cilantro is a staple in my crisper, dill isn't, I haven't tried with dill.  I usually purchase the turkey burgers that are fresh, but prepackaged.  This is a favorite of both of the men in this family, it was one of the specialties Rob would cook for Grandma P.

In parenthesis I listed my changes to make it lower in fat.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup mayonnaise  (  I use the TJ's low fat)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil  (I skip this)

2 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chilies (I add about 1 tsp., because of heat)

1 tablespoon drained capers

1 pound ground turkey

4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split

4 red onion slices

8 plum tomato slices

2 bunches arugula (about 1 ounce)

Directions:

Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Form ground turkey into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill burgers until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Grill buns until just toasted. Spread 1 tablespoon sauce on bottom half of each bun. Top each with 1 burger, then 1 more tablespoon sauce. Top each with 1 onion slice, 2 tomato slices, then 1/2 bunch arugula. Cover with bun tops. Serve, passing remaining chipotle tartar sauce separately.

Click here for printable recipe

Adapted from Epicurious