Summer is spelled s-o-c-k-e-y-e

Grilled fresh summer sockeye

Well, even though Mother Nature is not completely co-operating, it really is summer and to me that has always meant more barbecues. Of course, on the West Coast of Canada, we're blessed with weather mild enough that we can fire up the grill most of the year ... at least as long as you don't mind dashing between house and grill in buckets of rain.
And since barbecued food can be some of the healthiest and tastiest (well, healthiest if you don't char it too much), it's a great way for those who are trying to cut down on some of those pesky calories.
A combination of wanting to feel more summery and the fact the sockeye are now running in huge numbers, it occurred to me that a nice bit of barbecued sockeye might be just the thing I needed this week.
So, off to the fish shop to get a fairly large (about six pounds with head on, the fish seem a little bigger this year than in the past) sockeye. I had them remove the head and gills and scrape for scales just because frankly I was feeling lazy. It's not all that hard to do, but it's slightly mucky work.
There is nothing like fresh sockeye. That bright orange flesh and ocean smell..... yummm.
So I preheated the grill and oiled it down. I had decided to cook without foil because I just like it better that way, but it's a little more work to make sure it doesn't stick and your timing has to be more careful as it can dry out and there is nothing more pathetic than a lovely piece of sockeye cooked to the consistency of jerky.
The thing about this recipe is that it is simple, you really taste the freshness of the fish and that's a flavour that, frankly, doesn't need a lot of additives or fussy sauces.
So here's my recipe for:

Grilled whole sockeye

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients
1 whole, dressed sockeye (about 4 1/2 to 5 pounds)
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly
1/2 lemon, sliced thinly
A bunch of fresh parsley or cilantro
Olive oil
1 lemon sliced lengthwise into wedges

Rinse salmon and pat dry. Sprinkle inside with salt and pepper and a smear of butter.
Arrange overlapping slices of onion, lemon and plenty of parsley in the cavity.
Brush both sides of the salmon with oil. (Alternately, you can oil the fish and wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil, seal edges with a double fold. This method means less clean up of the grill and does ensure the fish is very moist, but I like the sizzly crisp skin on the outside and you won't get it with the foil.)
Whole salmon is best cooked using indirect heat which means turning on one burner on your grill but putting the fish on the other side of the grill. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the well-oiled fish on the grill. Don't move the fish too soon. It will stick to the grate until the grill marks are seared into the flesh. It should lift off the grill easily then. When the salmon flesh flakes with a fork, it's done. Be sure to remove the salmon just as it reaches the flaking point, or it will begin to dry and toughen. Perfectly done salmon is moist and tender.
Grill whole salmon with indirect medium heat, for 7 minutes per half pound. (Include the weight of your stuffing ingredients when estimating time. But ultimately it's not the clock but the edges of the flesh just turning flaky that determine when it's time to take the fish off the grill.
Let it rest about 10 minutes under a piece of foil before cutting and serving.
Absolutely delicious with lemon wedges and a big tossed salad for a light meal that will fill you with energy and all kinds of good nutrition. Of course, you can also grill some veggies like zucchini strips, asparagus or the like as your side dish to make a meal that feels a bit more substantial.
And best of all, even if it doesn't quite look like summer out there, a big plate of grilled salmon with ensure that you feel like summer inside.
Enjoy.

Sockeye Salmon Wrap

Well, between needing nutritious lunches at work that won't have me nodding over my keyboard an hour after eating and thinking ahead to the summer (which should be here by now but seems strangely reluctant to actually show up) I got to thinking about sandwiches and other portable foods.

Now I am a big fan of the sandwich in general ... one of humanity's best inventions ever. Take them to work, school, on a picnic or just to chow down on one anytime, I don't think there's a more versatile style of food. Plus, you can make them with virtually anything, to meet any tastes and to any level of nutrition (or bad nutrition ... think bacon strips inside) that your little heart desires.

With this is mind, I share with you a salmon wrap sandwich I got off a tinned seafood site. They suggested tinned salmon of course and that certainly is doable, but the salt levels in tinned salmon are way out of line for anyone watching their blood pressure as I am.

This is a good way to use up any leftovers if you have baked, grilled, fried, poached or whatever a piece of salmon or, as I did, just cook one up to make the sandwiches.

This recipe makes 4 servings.

400-450 grams sockeye or other wild salmon, sauted lightly on each side for about four to six minutes depending on how thick the piece is. Should go lighter pink and a little flakey and it's done. Less done is much better than overdone when it comes to salmon.

8 ounces softened light cream cheese

2 Tablespoons fresh chopped chives

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro or you can use 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

2 teaspoon finely chopped red onion

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional)

4 large (10-inch) whole grain flour tortillas

4 large Romaine or curly lettuce leaves, center ribs removed or equivalent amount of mixed salad greens (about 1 cup to my eye) for even more flavour and nutritious goodness

4 cups chopped or thinly sliced assorted fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, bean sprouts, tomato, celery, or shredded carrots/ broccoli/cabbage ... pretty much whatever you have in your fridge is great

Blend salmon, cream cheese, chives, lemon juice, seasoning, onion and pepper.

On each of the tortillas, divide and spread the salmon-cream cheese mixture to almost the edge. Lay a lettuce leaf or scatter some mixed greens over each tortilla. Top with one cup vegetables placed across middle of tortilla. Note that if you are using tomatoes, it's best to get the wet seedy bits out to make the sandwich a little less mucky. If you won't want to waste that part (OK, I'm cheap, I know) you can also put that part into the salmon cheese spread where it will blend in and not be so runny.

Roll up the tortillas tightly, tuck in ends envelope-style and slice on the diagonal.

Now just enjoy the crunchy flavourful goodness.

Salmon Cakes

I was having some blood tests this past week just to check cholesterol levels and the like (the good news is that all looks good despite the recent bacon-wrapped salmon which I made twice within a 10-day period because they were just darned good) and while I was waiting I was perusing the mags in the lab waiting room.
An old Canadian Living had a recipe for salmon cakes so I scribbled the basics on the back of an envelope in my purse and tried it at home.
The result was really very tasty so I decided to share it. When frying the salmon cakes, it's important to have your oil reasonably hot to get some crispiness on the outside. After all, everything is already cooked so it's just about crust and warming the cake through when you get to the frying stage.
As an experiment, I pressed a couple of the salmon cakes into some panko bread crumbs before frying and it gave a nice crunchy texture to them. Of course if you're counting carbs, adding the panko may not be a good idea, but personally, I would do it again, especially if serving to guests as I really think the rough look and the extra crunch are a positive attribute.

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients
2 large potatoes (about a pound in total)
3 green onions, chopped
Half a bunch (about 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp eash of pepper and salt
1/4 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp Lousiana Hot Sauce (more or less depending on your taste: I think the original recipe called for 1/4 tsp. or something but really, that's just not enough for me)
1 egg, beaten (or use the equivalent in egg beaters if cholesterol is a real issue for you)
1/2 pound of salmon
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Lemon wedges
Tartar sauce (premade or just mix together this super simple recipe I learned a million years ago working in a restaurant that served lots of fish and chips: 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup dill pickle relish, splash of lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. French's mustard)

Preparation:
The original recipe called for two 213 grm cans of salmon but since canned salmon is ridiculously high in salt and since there's very little work to cooking up a bit of salmon, I decided to go that route.
I just wrapped the salmon in parchment paper, drizzled a little water on it and put it in the oven on 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Then set aside to cool.
Peel and cut potatoes in half crosswise. Cover and cook in saucepan of boiling, lightly salted water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
In large bowl, mash potatoes until smooth; mix in the chopped onions, coriander, mustard, salt, lemon rind, pepper and hot pepper sauce. When that mixture is well blended, gently mix in the beated egg. Flake your salmon up and fold it into the mixture and let cool for 5 minutes.
Here's where it gets fun. Using your hands, shape into eight 3/4-inch thick patties.
In large nonstick skillet, heat half of the oil over medium heat; cook 4 of the patties for about 5 minutes per side or until golden. Repeat with remaining patties.
Serve with lemon wedges and a tossed salad for a light meal for four people.