This is a fairly easy recipe to make that creates a beautiful presentation. It can be done on both a BBQ or in an oven.
My variation is to wrap the salmon in grape leaves so it steams and creates more flaour.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs fresh salmon center cut to serve 8
- 5 oz smoked salmon
- 2 oz butter
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- Freshly gound salt
- White pepper
- Melted butter
Method
Make sure all scales are scrapped from the fish and ensure the board on which it is resting is also free of scales.
Cut the smoked salmon into this slices and with your knife blade mash the salmon until it feels like butter. Mix the butter that is at room temperature with the mashed salmon and add cayenne, salt and white pepper.
Make five incissions in the flank of the fish, increasing depth as you move from tail to shoulder. The incisions should be diagonal, slanting at 30 degrees to tail and between 1 1/4 inches to 1 inch deep and about 2 inches apart. Repeat on the other side.
Into each incision in the salmon press in firmly a large knob of the prepared salmon butter. Do this on both sides. When you turn the salmon over to do the other side, place on wax paper to protect the side you've already done.
Wrap the entire salmon in grape vines using kitched twine hold.
Heat either your oven or BBQ to 350 degrees.
Pour the melted butter on bottom of a shallow baking pan to keep the salmon from sticking.
Put the salmon in the oven or on the BBQ uncovered for 16 minutes.
After 16 minutes remove the fish from the pan and pour off the drippings into another pan. Run a spatula under the length to loosen and place another buttered pan over the top of the salmon and turn it over. You are flipping the salmon to cook the other side.
Cook for another 16 minutes.
When the salmon is fully cooked, remove from the heat. Remove the grape leaves and twine.
Heat and pour the drippings back over the salmon.
Carefully scrape off the silver grey skin. Scrape off the center band of dark meat carefullyi with a knife and expose the the light pink fles of the cooked salmon. The salmon butter will appear as darker pin in slashes. Leave the skin on the underside of the salmon. Plate and serve.
Kitchen Notes
You can surround the salmon with tiny new buttered potatoes.
I like serving it with my Green Garden Salad. The crisp vegetables and slightly bitter greens cut through the richness of the salmon and make the whole meal feel balanced.
