It is almost time to go fishing for those first run kings and you know what that means: fresh fish for dinner. I am so looking forward to making and enjoying this perfect food. It also means my cooking column doubles as a sports column, since fishing and cooking are two of my passions in life and I just canŐt help but intertwine them.
After a long, cold winter, the other fisherman and I have the fishing fever bad by this time of year. We are really looking forward to sitting in our little boat dressed in more clothes than we wear to go snowmaching, poles in hand, anticipating that hit on the end of our lines. As I sit and patiently wait to catch my first salmon of the season, I envision how to prepare it for our dinner. Seeing as I am getting pretty antsy about the thought of being able to fish in a month, I thought I would make some salmon this weekend from our freezer stash.
Maple Orange Glazed Grilled Salmon
This is a really nice blend of flavors for grilling salmon. The Worcestershire sauce adds a complexity to the marinade. A different flavor to pair with salmon for sure, but it works. Pair it with a nice Pinot Noir or Syrah.
4-6 servings
Ingredients:
One-half cup real maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
5 tablespoons orange juice or juice of a whole orange
Squeeze of fresh lemon
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Ń be careful not to add more, it will overpower the marinade
One-eighth teaspoon granulated garlic
One-eighth teaspoon onion powder
One-half teaspoon ground mustard
One-half teaspoon hot pepper sauce
One-fourth teaspoon salt
Pinch each of black and cayenne pepper
1 and one-half pounds Alaska Wild salmon filets
Directions:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the salmon; mix well. Pour half of marinade into a large Ziploc bag; add the salmon filets. Seal the bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade while marinating salmon.
Prepare grill to medium-hot and coat grill rack with cooking spray. Drain and discard marinade from salmon. Grill salmon over medium-hot heat for four minutes. Baste with reserved marinade over salmon as it cooks. Turn salmon over and grill until done, depending on thickness of salmon. Be careful not to over cook. Brush with lots of remaining marinade before serving.
A Smoker or ????
This is a story of the smoker the other fisherman made many years ago.
I came home from work one day to see that there was a long, thin wooden box lying on saw horses in the garage. My first thought was that it was my coffin and the other fisherman was planning my demise. I could see it now, he would stuff me in my plywood box with some cement shoes, dump me in the bay and collect the insurance money and buy himself the most incredible boat ever to grace Cook Inlet. Fortunately, I bring him good luck when we go fishing and the box was too long and narrow for the likes of me. Hmmm, what could this be? Fishing pole locker or gun storage, perhaps?
He told me it was to be the smoker of fish and other wonderful things.
We have been enjoying smoking salmon bellies for the past few years after tasting some our dear friends Ken and Donna Hinkle shared with us. Who would have guessed the bellies make the most delectable, moist, sublime smoked salmon pieces ever.
The other fisherman makes the best smoked salmon I know. Pretty good deal, he smokes it, I eat it.
The Other FishermanŐs Smoked Salmon Brine
Ingredients:
Mix the following for the brine:
1 gallon cool water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup non-iodized salt
Three-quarters cup dark soy sauce (not the usual table variety) this stuff is dark and rich
Three-quarters cup YoshidaŐs gourmet sauce
Directions:
Prepare your salmon. Remember to save the bellies when you butcher your fish, as they are just supreme. ThereŐs so much oil and they are so tender.
Leave skin on fish and cut in strips about one and a half inches wide, if this is your preferred method. Put fish and brine in large container, and let brine at room temperature one and one half hours.
Prepare your smoker.
Remove salmon from brine, donŐt rinse off, just drain. Set salmon on clean racks from smoker. Smoke until desired doneness and firmness with wood smoker chips soaked in water. We like to use alder chips soaked in water.
This whole process can be huge in the variable department Ń depends on the temperature of your smoker, thickness of your fish, humidity and outside temperature of the day. Ours usually takes about 8-10 hours. If you cold smoke, it will take a couple days.
DonŐt be afraid to try it. The Little Chief Smokers work well, too. You donŐt need a coffin for a tall, skinny person.
As I am writing this, the other fisherman just brought in the salmon he smoked today.
It is some of the most incredibly wonderful stuff that has ever passed my lips. A perfect degree of doneness, flavor and smoke. It needs nothing to accompany it other than a napkin. Life is good.
Progress notes from the journey to better health: Week 13 and a loss of 31 pounds! Our floatplane will pop up off the water this summer and the skiff will float much lighter in the trolling lanes come fishing time. I will fit much easier into a kayak as well. Last year I was stuffed in that kayak so tight I created a vacuum.
I have gone down 5 sizes, feel years younger and have way more energy than I remember ever possessing. I blast through cleaning the house, run up and down the stairs without having a minor heart attack each time and complete my daily exercise routine with ease.
Healthy habits have replaced the self-destructive ones I once possessed. I am in a groove of healthy eating, exercise and positive head space.
Exercising is not unpleasant anymore and instead of thinking how I can Ňjust get it over with,Ó I look forward to planning what I will do to enjoy getting some and it takes a priority in my day. The laundry, dirty dishes and e-mail no longer seem as urgent to deal with. In fact, taking time for exercise is a good excuse not to have to tackle this household drudgery.
A hint for my success: I allow myself a little leeway one night on the weekend, as I have found this makes it a whole lot easier to stay focused and on-track the rest of the week.
Until next time, have fun in the kitchen and enjoy the springtime we are finally experiencing! Go buy your fishing license!
