Salmon

Did you know that humans have been eating salmon for the past 11,000 years or so? According to researchers from the University of Alaska, the chemical analysis of prehistoric hearths lead to that discovery. Honestly, it’s not that hard to believe. Fishing for food has been a past time for hungry humans as long as those humans have been hungry.

When it comes to my family, salmon is often requested, particularly by my youngest daughter. I’m not really sure how or when she got hooked on the meaty, pink flesh. But whenever I ask the age-old question of “What do you want for dinner?,” she emphatically responds, “Salmon!”

I usually prepare a simple recipe. Flip on the grill. Get it nice and hot (but turn it down to medium heat, otherwise you’ll burn the crap out of your dinner). In a foil packet, slip in a two pound filet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Top with lemon slices and thyme sprigs. Et voila! You’ve got a tasty fish dinner.

This time, I tried something a little different. But hey, that’s what salmon is good for, right? It’s relatively versatile when it comes to flavorings. French. Asian. Italian. Latin American. Whatever the combinations, it holds up pretty well.

Marinating the filet in a ¼ cup of soy sauce with one tablespoon of sesame oil (that can be decreased to your taste—sesame oil can be pretty overpowering) and lime juice gave a nice base. Adding half of a teaspoon of ginger root and two small crushed garlic cloves rounded out my “fish tea.” I let it sit for a few hours, grilled for about 25 minutes, and plated it with the foil packet still steaming.

And salmon can go with just about any carb. Rice of all kinds. Couscous. Quinoa. Farro. Potatoes of every color. Add a green veg and you can call that a sumptuous meal. Pair with a lovely rosé, Sauvignon blanc, Pinot noir, or sparkling wine. Like I said, salmon is versatile.