Caraway Crusted Planked Monkfish with Tomato and Green Onion Sauce

Serves 4

Monkfish is often referred to as the poor man’s lobster because it has very firm, rich, flavourful white flesh. The fillet looks kind of like a pork tenderloin, and it cooks up very nicely on a plank. The tomato and green onion sauce nicely offsets the strong flavor of the caraway-crusted fish.

For the fish:
1 lb|500 g skinless monkfish fillet
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp|30 mL extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
1 1/2 Tbsp| 22.5 mL caraway seeds
pinch cayenne
granulated onion

For the sauce:
¼ cup|60 mL mayonnaise
1 ripe fresh tomato, chopped into a ¼ inch|6 mm dice
3 stalks fresh green onion, finely chopped, 1 Tbsp|15 mL reserved for garnish
1 Tbsp|15 mL finely chopped parsley
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
pinch cayenne
1 Tbsp|15 mL fresh lemon juice
kosher salt

Lightly toast the caraway seeds in a dry frying pan, transfer to a plate to cool, and set aside.

Season the fillet with salt and pepper. Combine the olive oil, minced garlic and lemon zest and coat the fillet with the mixture. Sprinkle all but ½ Tbsp|7.5 mL of the caraway seeds evenly over the fillet. Let sit for 15 minutes.

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Preheat the grill on medium-high for 5 or 10 minutes or until the chamber temperature rises above 500°F | 260°C. Rinse the plank and place it on the cooking grate. Cover the grill and heat the plank for 4 or 5 minutes, or until it starts to throw off a bit of smoke and crackles lightly. Reduce the heat to medium.

Place the fish on the plank and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning half way through the cooking time, until the fish is springy to the touch or has an internal temperature of 135°F | 57°C.

Cut the fish into medallions and serve with a dollop of the sauce, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with the reserved seeds and green onions.

This is my attempt to emulate the delicious salmon burger on famed B.C. restaurant chain White Spot's menu. If you cook it, let me know how you like it!

Salmon burger, White Spot Style

Serves 4

White Spot restaurants are a fixture in British Columbia known for their excellent old-fashioned hamburgers. In recent years they’ve gone a bit upscale, adding more gourmet fare to their classic dishes, including a phenomenal salmon burger. Executive chef Chuck Curry likes to play his recipes close to the chest so I’ve had to recreate this dish based on my experience of eating it, but this comes pretty close to the real thing. If you don’t have the time or inclination to make the homemade aioli, substitute with regular commercial mayo doctored with finely chopped fresh basil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

For the burgers:
4 8-oz.|250 g boneless, skinless wild B.C. salmon fillets (farmed salmon will do, but it’s just not as good)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 large, fresh, perfectly ripe beefsteak tomato
1 red onion
green leaf lettuce
4 large sesame burger buns
butter

For the basil aioli:
2 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp|25 mL lemon juice
11/4 cups|300 mL extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup|50 mL tightly packed fresh basil leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the egg yolks and lemon juice; process for 5 seconds. With the machine running, drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube in a slow steady stream, processing until combined. Coursely chop the basil and add to the mixture. Whiz it again until the basil is incorporated into the aioli. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. It will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Cut the tomato into four equal slices and peel and thinly slice enough onion to suit your taste. Butter the buns and set aside.

Prepare the grill for medium direct heat. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and drizzle them with a little olive oil. Make sure the cooking grate is scrubbed clean. In this case you may want to coat the cooking grate with a little oil just before you put the salmon on. Place the salmon on the grill, cover and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes per side or until the core temperature of the fillet reaches 130˚F|55˚C.

Take the salmon off the grill and loosely tent with foil. While the salmon is resting, place the buns, buttered side down, on the cooking grate, cover and toast the buns for maybe half a minute, taking care not to burn them.

Slather both sides of each toasted bun with the aioli. Place the salmon filets in the buns and top with onion, tomato and lettuce. Serve with a cold beer or glass of crisp, fruity white wine.

Here's another great, summery salsa.

Peach and Blackberry Salsa

Serves 4

This salsa, invented by my wife, Kate, is something you should try only when these fruits are at their peak, which on the west coast of Canada is in August but should be around now in many parts of the continent. Paired with planked chicken, it’s a mind-blower.

4 peaches, peeled and diced, not too small
1 cup|250 mL fresh blackberries,
washed and picked over
1/4 cup|50 mL red onion, diced
1/2 fresh green jalapeño or other hot pepper,
seeded and minced
juice of 2 limes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Let the salsa stand, covered, in the fridge for about an hour.

So, here goes. I'm in the final stages of putting together my new book, Planking Secrets DELUXE! which is due out next spring. In the coming week or two I'm going to post as many new recipes I can on this blog. Here's the first one. Watch for more.

Quick Cucumber Salsa

Makes about two cups.

Often, the simplest combinations are the best. This one tastes like summer. Try it on grilled fish, spoon it over a cold soup or split it between two bowls as a starter for a summer lunch.

1 cucumber
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp.|5 mL chopped fresh dill
1 tsp.|5 mL sugar
Kosher salt

Peel the cucumber, cut it lengthwise into quarters, and remove the seeds. Chop into a ¼ inch|6 mm dice. Add the lime juice, dill, sugar and a pinch of salt. Use immediately.