Barbecued Salmon and an Engagement Celebration!

Spring is in the air – and it is a great time to fire up the grill and try one of Food Snob’s all-time favorite salmon recipes.  The third recipe in Food Snob’s “fish series,” Barbecued Salmon with Rosemary-Smashed Potatoes and Corn, is very user friendly and a wonderful recipe to try on family members who “aren’t sure” they like fish.  It really is hard not to like this simple and delicious dish!

But first, I digress.  Since spring is in the air, romance is also in the air, and lo and behold, Food Snob’s daughter became engaged this weekend to an amazing young man that she met four years ago at Eagle Lake Camp where they worked together as excursion camp counselors.  Food Snob could not resist sharing the photo of daughter Amelie and fiancé Jon right after they became engaged this morning – while hiking at Red Rocks amphitheater!  

We celebrated at noon with a home-cooked meal – what else would you expect from Food Snob?  She served buffalo pot-roast with spicy carrot puree, roasted beets, and asparagus.  Watch for the recipe in a few weeks – adapted from a recipe provided by favorite chef John Broening. 

Now back to the fish.  Food Snob first had this dish at Deluxe on South Broadway, a tiny little restaurant with some very wonderful food.  (If you go, try the oyster shooters!)  It was served in the summer with fresh corn cut off of the cob.  Fresh corn is not in season right now, so keep this recipe in mind when August rolls around.  Food Snob successfully substitutes good quality frozen baby corn kernels when fresh corn is not in season. 

The salmon is delicious on its own, but when Food Snob had it at Deluxe, it was served with fresh corn in a light cream sauce on the bottom of the plate, topped with mashed potatoes, and with the barbecued salmon resting on top.  Food Snob has always made the recipe this way, occasionally substituting mashed sweet potatoes, and it is delicious either way.  She has served it many times for dinner guests and it is always an elegant, company-worthy meal.

A word about the salmon – Food Snob has used Atlantic salmon and sockeye salmon in this recipe, but most recently she has used wild-caught Copper River salmon, which she found flash frozen and individually wrapped at Costco.  Some types of salmon are leaner than others, but all work well in this recipe.  Fresh or flash-frozen—and wild-caught—are important considerations in any fish recipe.

This recipe comes together quickly.  It works well on an outdoor grill, and indoor grill pan (see photo below), or in a heavy-bottom skillet.  You never turn the salmon; once the grill or pan is hot, it cooks for about 8 minutes and it is done!

To serve the corn, potatoes, and salmon together, start with the Rosemary-Smashed Potatoes.  See the recipe on Food Snob’s February 10th posting. While the potatoes are steaming, make the barbecue sauce, heat up the grill or skillet, and get the salmon ready to go.  Mash the potatoes and keep them warm.  Then put the salmon on the grill and while the salmon cooks, heat the corn. 

Since this dish is heavy on the starch side (potatoes and corn), be sure to add a green vegetable. Either roasted asparagus or a green salad would make great accompaniments.

One final word about temperature.   Do you have one of these?  

This thermometer is a lifesaver.  Food Snob bought hers at Macy’s but you can find something similar just about anywhere.  Put the probe in the thickest part of the meat, poultry, or fish, set the monitor for the desired temperature, and the thermometer will beep when the meat or fish has reached the correct temperature.  No more over-cooked fish, pork, chicken, or steak!  For salmon, the desired temperature for medium rare to medium is between 130 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Barbecued Salmon with Rosemary-Smashed Potatoes and Corn – makes four servings

Ingredient List

Barbecue Sauce:

½ cup purchased barbecue sauce (I use Kansas City original, any brand)

½ teaspoon dried mustard

½ teaspoon ground red chile (NOT chili powder)

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

2 teaspoons honey

Salmon:

4 four- to six-ounce pieces wild-caught salmon

2 teaspoons olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper

Corn:

2 cups fresh corn, cut from the cob (about 3 ears), or 2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 teaspoon olive oil, butter, or heart-healthy spread suitable for cooking

3 scallions (green onions), sliced

¼ cup half and half

½ teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

One Recipe Rosemary-Smashed Potatoes, doubled (see February 10th posting.)

Preparation:

1.     Prepare recipe for rosemary-garlic smashed potatoes and keep warm.  While potatoes are steaming, mix all barbecue sauce ingredients together.

2.     Wash and dry salmon, drizzle with olive oil and use fingers to coat each salmon piece thoroughly.  Sprinkle salmon lightly with salt and pepper.

3.     Brush grill, grill pan, or heavy-bottomed skillet lightly with olive oil or spray with cooking spray.  Preheat to medium high. 

4.     If using fresh corn, cut corn kernels off of cob and set aside.

5.     Once potatoes are ready and the grill is hot, carefully spoon the barbecue sauce on top of each salmon piece, reserving about half of the sauce to top the salmon once cooking is finished.  If salmon pieces have skin, put the barbecue sauce on the side of the salmon without the skin.  Carefully place the salmon on the grill, grill pan, or skillet – keep pieces from touching.  If your grill has a lid, put the lid down for quicker cooking.  If using a grill pan or skillet, partially cover with a lid – do not cover tightly – you need to let the steam escape. 

6.     Grill salmon about 7 to 8 minutes without turning – to about 135 degrees.  Use a thermometer if necessary.  When done, remove to a warm dish and top each piece of salmon with remaining barbecue sauce.

7.     While salmon is cooking, heat a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add olive oil or butter.  Once oil is warm or butter has melted, add scallions and sauté for about 2 minutes.  Add corn, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Allow corn to heat through (corn cooks quickly, so you just want it to get hot – no need to boil). 

8.     As soon as the corn is hot, stir in the half-and-half, allow the mixture to warm through, and taste for seasoning.

To serve on plates, layer the corn with the cream sauce, top with Rosemary-Smashed Potatoes, and top with the barbecued salmon.

Congratulations, Amelie and Jon! 

Next week’s final entry in Food Snob’s fish series features Brown Sugar- and Spice- Rubbed Salmon – this fantastic dish can be on the table in 15 minutes!