Much of my cooking is flavored by American regional cuisine and I enjoy the study of food origins and I especially enjoy learning about native american influences on cuisine. Many of the dishes we enjoy today are very deeply rooted in the pre-european cultures of north america - and it goes much further than just your Thanksgiving dinner. While this is a topic that I can talk about for hours, today I'll limit it to Cedar Plank Salmon!
“Planking” fish has been around for eons but has recently grown in popularity in recent years. It originated in the Pacific Northwest where the native people would secure whole or fileted salmon to a piece of cedar or alder and slow roast it near a large fire. This was as much a result of available resources as it was a sacred act of ceremony.
Today you can buy cedar planks in just about any grocery store and I use them a lot; however, I have found that simply throwing a piece of fish on a plank and popping it in the over or on the grill leaves it a bit dull and I’m personally not a big fan of heavy glazes or sauces that cover the flavor. What follows is the way I like to prepare planked salmon. It imparts a mild woodsy scent of cedar while retaining a nice crispy skin that is full of flavor. The use of aromatics in the process further rounds out the flavor profile. I picked up some beautiful baby red onions from the farmer’s market this morning and incorporated them into the dish but some large fresh green onions or ramps will substitute quite nicely. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the aromatics!
For this recipe I am using the oven but if you’d like to finish it on the grill for a bolder wood flavor I recommend placing the planks on the grill with indirect heat so the planks don’t burn up in the process. Be sure to close the lid on the grill.
