Cedar Planked Wild Salmon with Pistachio Pesto
The light orange flavor in this nutty pesto is perfect over a cedar infused salmon fillet. You can find cedar planks at your local grocery store near the seafood counter, or in the accessories aisle. They usually come in a package of 3, and each can be used several times until they need to be discarded.
Prepare cedar planks by soaking in shallow water bath for at least 1 hour. For pesto, combine all ingredients together in a food processor and blend until a coarse pesto forms.
Pulse until pesto until mixture is finely diced.
Heat BBQ between 400°F-425°F (for first time use of plank, toast each side in hot BBQ for a few minutes to help impart the cedar flavor). Brush top of fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay fish skin side down onto plank and place onto center of BBQ grill, close cover and cook until flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (can be 15-25 minutes, depending on thickness of fillet).
Cedar Planked Salmon with Pistachio Pesto
Ingredients
- 4 wildsalmon fillets about 1 lb
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1-2 cedar planks
Pesto
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 3 tsp orange zest
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
- 2 1/2 cups baby arugula or kale
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
Instructions
- Prepare cedar planks by soaking in shallow water* bath for at least 1 hour.
- For pesto, combine all ingredients together in a food processor and blend until a coarse pesto forms.
- Heat BBQ between 400°F-425°F (for first time use of plank, place plank on the grill in hot BBQ, close lid and toast it for a few minutes on each side to help intensify the cedar flavor).
- Brush top of fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay fish skin side down on plank and place plank onto center of BBQ grill, close cover and cook until flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (can be 15-25 minutes, depending on thickness of fillet).
- Spoon some pesto over each fillet and serve.
Notes
-Plank can be used several times, until it is fully charred and starting to deteriorate.
We eat salmon all the time but I have never tried it on the cedar planks… The instructions make it look so easy and it sounds so good that I am going to try it! Thanks for sharing.
Let me know how it turns out, and what you think of the cedar-infused flavor!
I RATHER USE THE OVEN, WILL THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS APPLIED.?
Great question! Yes you can use the oven. The same instructions apply regarding soaking the plank. Preheat your oven to 425F, and place the plank and the fish on the middle rack. The oven won’t cause the plank to smoke or char, so the fish won’t be imparted with that extra strong flavor that you would otherwise get from grilling. Just remember to keep and eye on the fish, checking on it every 10 minutes or so. Have a spray bottle of water handy just in case the plank does catch on fire.