Cedar-Planked Wester Ross Salmon By Alex - Hunter Gatherer Cooking

PREP & FIRE SET UP

1. Submerge your cedar planks in cold water for at least 1–2 hours before you cook. Weigh them down with something heavy, they float. This is what stops them catching alight too quickly and gives you that slow, smoky cook.
   
2. Light your Somerset Grill 45 minutes before you want to cook. Get a good bed of embers going in the ember maker, you're after consistent, medium-heat embers, not a raging flame.
   
   TOP TIP
   Hold your hand 15cm above the embers. You're looking for 5–6 seconds of comfort, that's your ideal salmon heat. Any hotter and you risk scorching the planks before the fish has time to cook through.

PREPARING THE SALMON

1. Lay your soaked cedar planks flat. Place one or two salmon portions onto each plank skin-side down, then pin them securely with your metal S-hooks or skewers so they won't shift around over the fire.
   
2. Season the salmon generously with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper. Lay lemon rounds over each portion and tuck a small rosemary sprig into the centre of each lemon round. Squeeze the juice of the extra lemon over everything.

COOKING THE SALMON

1. Position the cedar planks vertically inside your Somerset Grill, leaning them in toward the heat source. Adjust the grill height so the planks sit 15–20cm from the embers, close enough for the cedar to start releasing its smoke, but not so close that the wood chars immediately.
   
2. This isn't a set-and-forget cook. Keep a close eye on the fire and the planks throughout. Move your embers around, add wood to the ember maker as needed, and adjust the grill height if the planks are colouring too quickly. You're managing the fire just as much as you're cooking the fish.
   
   TOP TIP
   A little charring on the edges of the cedar is exactly what you want, it's what creates the smoke. But if the plank catches a flame, have a small spray bottle of water to hand to knock it back quickly.
   
3. The salmon takes around 25–35 minutes, depending on the thickness of the portions and your fire. You're looking for the flesh to turn from translucent to opaque all the way through, with the edges just starting to flake when pressed. The lemon rounds will be lightly charred and fragrant - a good sign.

THE SIDES

1. About 20 minutes before the salmon comes off, put your new potatoes into a cast iron pot with enough cold water to cover. Add the mint sprigs and set the pot over a direct heat zone on the grill. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, around 15–18 minutes. Drain and toss with butter and a pinch of salt.
   
2. Place a cast iron pan over the embers and add the olive oil and remaining butter. Once it foams, lay in the asparagus spears and cook for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until charred and just tender. Throw a couple of rosemary sprigs into the pan for the last minute to infuse the butter with that herby smoke.

SERVING

1. Carefully lift the cedar planks off the grill using fire gloves, they'll be hot and a little smoky, which is exactly as it should be. Bring them straight to the table and serve the salmon right off the plank alongside the mint potatoes and charred asparagus. A final squeeze of lemon over everything and you're done.