Grilled King Salmon With English Peas And Mint

Name: Grilled King Salmon With English Peas And Mint
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for fish; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 cup blanched english peas or frozen peas, thawed; 2 cup whole milk; 30 leaves fresh mint; 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard; tabasco sauce, to taste; kosher salt, to taste; freshly-ground black pepper, to taste; 4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, skinned and deboned

The Daily Meal Staff|July 30, 2014 3:55 pm EST

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Andy grew up in Seattle, and as far as he’s concerned there is nothing better than king salmon (also known as Chinook salmon) from Puget Sound. It is the biggest, and some say the best-tasting, salmon in the world. On the grill, with a simple garlic butter and lemon, it can rock your world. Two of the most common issues that come up when grilling fish are its proclivity to stick to the grates and tendency to dry out. These are easily addressed with patience and vigilance. For salmon, we want an internal temperature of 140 degrees F —a nice soft pink on the inside. Professional cooks can tell by touch, feeling the spring, or give, to know whether fish is done. This takes practice, and your reward is a great sense of accomplishment when you master it — and a great grilling shortcut, too. This recipe is from the Grill to Perfection cookbook. Click here for a list of places you can buy a copy.

Servings

4

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for fish
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup blanched english peas or frozen peas, thawed
2 cup whole milk
30 leaves fresh mint
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
tabasco sauce, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, skinned and deboned

Directions

Build a medium direct fire. Spread an even layer of unlit charcoal in the bottom of the grill. Fill a chimney halfway with charcoal. Stuff two sheets of newspaper in the bottom of the chimney and light it. When the coals are fully engaged — you should see flames peeking over the top — pour them over the unlit charcoal. If using a gas grill, light the gas and adjust the temperature on both sides to medium.
Make the sauce by combining the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, for 2 to 4 minutes, until the garlic is dark brown. Remove the pan from the heat and cool to room temperature. Transfer the garlic and oil to a blender. Add the peas, milk and mint, and purée on high until smooth. Transfer the purée to a small bowl and stir in the mustard. Season with Tabasco, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed, up to one day in advance.
When you can hold your hands over the fire for no more than 5 to 8 seconds, clean the grill grate. Lightly brush the salmon fillets with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill for two minutes. It is very important not to move the fish. If you move it too soon, or if the grill grates were not hot enough, the flesh will tear when you move it. Once a sear has developed, rotate the fillets 90 degrees and grill for one minute more. Flip the fillets and repeat the process, until a thermometer inserted into the fish registers 140 degrees F. Depending on the thickness of the cut, this should take 5 to 6 minutes.
While the salmon is cooking, heat the pea sauce slowly over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and set aside until the salmon is done.