Grilled Salmon with Bread Salad and Grilled Figs
An unusual salad, balsamic vinaigrette over mixed greens, grilled mushrooms, and tomato tossed with cubes of grilled cornbread, is used underneath salmon fillets grilled with a spice rub. It’s a wonderfully creative way to serve salmon, a Northwest favorite and one of the best fish around.
Ingredients
- Spice Rub
- Brown Sugar - 1/4 cup
- New Mexican Chili Powder - 2 teaspoons
- Ancho Chili Powder - 2 teaspoons
- Fresh Thyme - 1 teaspoon, chopped
- Kosher Salt - 1 tablespoon
- Black Pepper - 2 teaspoons, coarsely ground
- Ground cayenne (optional)
- Balsamic Dressing
- Balsamic Vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- Olive Oil - 1/3 cup
- Garlic - 1 teaspoon, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Alaskan Silver Salmon Fillets - Two, 8-ounce
- Lemon - 1, cut in half
- Portobello Mushroom Caps - 4 medium
- Chanterelles - 6 medium
- Figs - 4, cut in half, threaded on skewers (alt. pear wedges)
- Tomato - 1 small, cored and cut into wedges
- Olive oil - for brushing
- Rosemary Sprigs - for garnish
- Wild Greens or Red Leaf Lettuce - 1 small bunch, washed and dried
- Macrina’s yeasted cornmeal bread, - 2 slices (alt.other excellent-quality cornmeal bread)
Instructions
To make the spice rub: Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Set aside.
To make the dressing: Whisk all ingredients together. Set side.
To prepare the salmon and salad: Prepare a grill for direct heat cooking: Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn until covered with light grey ash. Or, light a gas grill according to manufacturer’s directions. Place the cooking grate on top and let it heat for a minute or two until hot.
Pat the spice rub mixture on both sides of the salmon fillets. Place the fish on the cooking grate. Cook 10 minutes, turning once half-way through the cooking time.
Grill the other ingredients one at a time: Brush both sides of the mushroom caps with oil and place on the grate. Grill both sides until done, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Brush the bread slices on both sides with oil and place on the grate. Grill on both sides, turning once half-way through the cooking time. Brush the chanterelles on both sides with oil and place on the grate. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush the figs with oil and grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, until softened.
Squeeze lemon juice over the greens or red lettuce. Coarsely chop the mushrooms. Cut the bread into cubes. Toss the greens, mushrooms, bread cubes, and tomato wedges twice. Whisk the dressing again to make sure it is emulsified. Pour the balsamic dressing liberally over the salad and toss again.
To serve: Divide the salad between four serving plates. Top each with a portion of salmon. Garnish with grilled figs and rosemary sprigs.
