Barbecued salmon

January 11, 2010

While most people order their fish grilled at restaurants - that crispy, caramelized smoked flavour sure beats poaching, baking or frying - many feel a little intimidated about cooking that delicate fillet on the outdoor grill at home.

How do you keep it from sticking to the grates? How do you tell when it's done? It just doesn't seem as easy as grilling a burger, but it can be, if you follow some simple basics.

The following tips are courtesy of News Canada and Weber's Big Book of Grilling.

• Is it done yet? Fish is adequately cooked when it is just opaque throughout. You'll need a knife to test it. Carefully slide a sharp knife between the layers of the fish meat, then turn it slightly to get a good look inside. If the meat still looks translucent in the middle, give it another minute or two.

• Always use oil. To prevent sticking and leaving any of that yummy fish on the grates, you need to oil the fish before you grill it. We're not talking about a major bath here, just a good coating of spray oil or a hearty stroke of the basting brush. If you've already marinated the fish, you may not need to add more oil. The thinner the fillet, the better to play it safe with extra spray.

 

Marinated salmon

Marinade

1/3 cup fresh orange juice
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp tequila
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp minced jalapeno pepper, with seeds
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
4 salmon fillets (with skin), about 6 ounces each and one-inch thick

Dressing

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 handfuls mixed salad greens
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided

 

Marinade

In a small bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Place the salmon fillets in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes.

 

Dressing

In a large bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside until ready to serve.

 

Remove the fillets from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the salmon, flesh side down, over direct medium heat until you can lift the fillets with tongs without them sticking to the grate, seven to eight minutes. Turn, skin side down, and finish cooking for two to three minutes more. Slide a spatula between the skin and flesh and transfer the fillets to serving plates.

Toss the salad greens, tomatoes and half of the cilantro in the dressing. Divide the greens among the serving plates, garnish the fillets with the remaining cilantro and serve.