Cedar-Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub

An assertive spice blend gives salmon a robust taste that works well on its own and in tacos the next night. Reserve half of the fish for Grilled Salmon Tacos with Chipotle Sauce. Look for cedar planks in gourmet markets or large supermarkets. Alternatively, purchase untreated cedar shingles from lumberyards or hardware stores, and have them cut to the specified size.

This recipe goes with Grilled Salmon Tacos with Chipotle Sauce

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients

• 1  (15 x 6 1/2 x 3/8–inch) cedar grilling plank
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  kosher salt
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  dark brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  dried thyme, crushed
• 3/4  teaspoon  coarsely ground black pepper
• 3/4  teaspoon  Hungarian sweet paprika
• 3/4  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1  (3-pound) center-cut salmon fillet, skinned

Preparation

1. Immerse and soak plank in water 1 hour; drain.

2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

3. Combine salt and next 7 ingredients (through cinnamon); rub salt mixture over fish.

4. Place plank on grill rack; grill 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Carefully turn plank over; place fish on charred side of plank. Cover and grill 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Cut fish crosswise into 8 (4 1/2-ounce) pieces.

Wine note: For this dish, you'll want a juicy red that is moderate in alcohol and tannin, like Wild Horse Pinot Noir 2006 ($24) from California's central coast. The cherry fruit is refreshing, while the cigar box quality echoes the cedar plank flavor. To save some leftover wine for the second meal of Grilled Salmon Tacos, simply recork and refrigerate the bottle overnight. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

Nutritional Information

Calories:

233 (41% from fat)

Fat:

10.6g (sat 2.5g,mono 4.6g,poly 2.5g)

Protein:

31.1g

Carbohydrate:

1.4g

Fiber:

0.4g

Cholesterol:

80mg

Iron:

0.8mg

Sodium:

420mg

Calcium:

22mg