Serves 4
For this recipe, you will need:
Four 4- to 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin on, pin bones removed
1 quart water
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup rum
10 garlic cloves, smashed
10 black peppercorns
10 allspice berries
1 bay leaf
1 cup alder or other hardwood chips (or 1/4 cup ground wood chips)
As needed Corn Cakes (recipe follows)
As needed Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Place the salmon in a 13- by 9-inch glass or stainless steel baking dish. Set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the water, honey, kosher salt, lemon juice, rum, garlic, peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaf. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture over the salmon, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Place the wood chips in a medium mixing bowl and cover with water. Soak the chips for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse with fresh water, and pat dry.
5. Prepare a smoker with the soaked wood chips and smoke the salmon according to the manufacturer’s directions for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the salmon from the smoker. If not cooked enough for your preference, finish cooking the salmon in a 375-degree F oven.
6. Remove the skin from the salmon and scrape away the thin layer of grayish fat on the surface. Serve the warm salmon over corn pancakes, drizzled with lemon vinaigrette (recipes follow). Or chill completely before serving.
Corn Cakes
Serves 4
For this recipe, you will need:
1 1/2 cups (from about 3 ears) corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/2 teaspoon, plus more to taste kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Directions:
1. Over high heat, bring a 2-quart pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. Add the corn kernels and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, cool, and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, the 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
4. Stir in the melted butter.
5. Add the reserved corn and let rest 30 minutes.
6. Stir in the chives.
7. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Preheat an un-greased griddle over medium heat. Spoon the batter into pancakes onto the griddle. Cook on one side for 3 minutes or until the edges brown.
8. Turn the corn cakes and cook an additional 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Keep the corn cakes warm in the preheated oven until needed.
Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 4
For this recipe, you will need:
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons olive oil
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground white pepper
Directions:
1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard.
2. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly until you have an emulsified dressing.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For this recipe, you will need:
Directions:
1. Place the salmon in a 13- by 9-inch glass or stainless steel baking dish. Set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the water, honey, kosher salt, lemon juice, rum, garlic, peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaf. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture over the salmon, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Place the wood chips in a medium mixing bowl and cover with water. Soak the chips for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Remove the salmon from the brine, rinse with fresh water, and pat dry.
5. Prepare a smoker with the soaked wood chips and smoke the salmon according to the manufacturer’s directions for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the salmon from the smoker. If not cooked enough for your preference, finish cooking the salmon in a 375-degree F oven.
6. Remove the skin from the salmon and scrape away the thin layer of grayish fat on the surface. Serve the warm salmon over corn pancakes, drizzled with lemon vinaigrette (recipes follow). Or chill completely before serving.
Corn Cakes
Serves 4
For this recipe, you will need:
Directions:
1. Over high heat, bring a 2-quart pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. Add the corn kernels and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, cool, and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, the 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.
4. Stir in the melted butter.
5. Add the reserved corn and let rest 30 minutes.
6. Stir in the chives.
7. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Preheat an un-greased griddle over medium heat. Spoon the batter into pancakes onto the griddle. Cook on one side for 3 minutes or until the edges brown.
8. Turn the corn cakes and cook an additional 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Keep the corn cakes warm in the preheated oven until needed.
Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 4
For this recipe, you will need:
Directions:
1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard.
2. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly until you have an emulsified dressing.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
