This Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto is not only tasty but healthy as well. Grilled to perfection and infused with a smoky cedar flavor, the salmon compliments the zesty Roasted Red Pepper Pesto for a perfect flavor combination. Who said eating light was tasteless?
- 1 lb of salmon filet
- 1/8 cup of chili powder
- 1/8 cup smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of granulated onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 Cedar Plank (soaked)
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Season your salmon on the meaty side and place it on a soaked cedar plank skin-side down. Set up your Goldens’ Cast Iron Cooker according to the configuration to the left. Close the dome and grill until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees. Carefully remove the salmon from the grill. Take a spatula and slide it under the salmon to loosen it from the plank. Place the salmon on a heavy swipe of red pepper pesto. Here, we served the salmon with a traditional lime and cilantro flavored rice.
- 1 Cedar Plank
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Lime zest
- Lime Juice
If you are new to grilling on planks, don’t worry. It’s easier than you think. Soak your plank in water. You may need to place a weight or bowl on top of your plank to make sure it stays submerged. Add salt, lime juice and zest to your water to infuse the plank with flavor. When grilled, it will release flavor to help season your salmon. Soak the plank for about 3 hours. This will help keep it from catching on fire.
- 3 whole red peppers
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts
- 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (more or less according to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Place your peppers on the grill and cook them until they become soft and their skin has charred. Carefully, remove your peppers from the cooker and immediately place them in a bowl with plastic wrap over it. Allow your peppers to cool for about 15 minutes. This steaming step helps with removing the skin. Once you’ve removed the skin, stem and seeds, add them to the blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until it reaches a coarse, dense consistency.
Cedar planks are a quick and easy way to infuse food with a wonderful smoky flavor. When cooking on planks, keep a water bottle on hand should the plank catch on fire.
Did you know you can reuse cedar planks? If you still have wood left (charred is still okay), clean the cedar plank with soap and water, pat dry and store in a cool, dry area. When it is time to grill again, re-soak the plank in a dill-lemon water solution and start cooking.
