Lunch / Dinner
Planked Salmon with Grape Gastrique
Splurge a little on quality for this cedar-smoked salmon, and even those wary of seafood will sing your praise.
When an entire meal hinges on a single ingredient, it’s crucial that component is the best quality it can be. Using the freshest salmon available for this cedar-plank dish is important — and the place you go to ensure you’re getting the best quality is as important as the fish itself.
Instead of buying fish at your regular grocery store, seek out any specialized seafood markets near you — they’ll always have the freshest stuff. Wild Alaskan salmon is about the best you can get. Look for it in the summer months, when it’s most readily available.
Ingredients
SOAK:
COMBINE:
STIR IN:
WHISK:
RUB:
Test Kitchen Tip
The thickening power of cornstarch is weakened by the acidity in this sauce, so using another starch like arrowroot or tapioca is more effective.
Instructions
Soak plank in water, at least 1 hour.
Prepare grill by heating one side to high and the other side to medium. Brush grill grate with oil.
Combine grape juice and sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until liquid is reduced to ⅓ cup, 3–4 minutes.
Stir in grapes, vinegar, shallots, rosemary, and garlic; bring mixture to a boil and cook until vinegar is slightly reduced, 2–3 minutes.
Whisk together arrowroot and water, then whisk into grape mixture. Cook gastrique until thickened, 10–15 seconds; remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Rub salmon with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place soaked plank on the grill over high heat until it begins to smolder and crackle, about 3 minutes. Turn plank over and move to medium heat.
Arrange salmon on plank. Cook salmon, covered, until flaky and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 145°, 15–20 minutes. Check salmon periodically to make sure plank doesn’t catch fire. If the plank does catch fire, spritz it with water until the flame is doused. Serve salmon with gastrique.
Arrowroot thickens the gastrique quick. It’s done when your finger leaves a trail on the back of a spoon.
To help it fit on the plank, trim the fat off the belly edge of the salmon and gently tuck in the sides.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 277
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 80mg 26%
Sodium 170mg 7%
Carbs 5g 1%
Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 32g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.