Your grill can be used for more than just burgers and hot dogs. Chef John Besh says fish is a great option for a summer dinner. Here, he offers a fresh and flavorful recipe for grilled salmon with flowering dill and a cucumber salad.
Recipe: Grilled fillet of Alaskan wild-caught King salmon, with flowering dill and cucumber salad (on this page) Recipe: Grilled watermelon and heirloom tomato salad (on this page)For the flowering dill dressing
Chop finely the parsley leaves, tarragon leaves, chives and fronds from 1 stalk of the dill. In a medium bowl mix together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of the rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar and all of the chopped herbs. Season the dressing to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cover and set in the cooler till ready to serve.
For the cucumber salad
Peel and slice the cucumber into 1/3 of an inch discs. Peel and slice the onion as thinly as possible.
In a medium bowl mix together the remaining rice wine vinegar and sugar, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, sliced cucumber and sliced red onion. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper, cover and reserve in the cooler.
For the salmon
Score the skin of the salmon fillet and season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil.
Lay the whole stalks of the dill on both sides of the salmon, so that the dill stalks and flowers are totally encasing the fish. Grill the fillet on both sides for 3 minutes each.
Serve the whole side of salmon straight off the grill. Serve the cucumber and shaved onion salad and the buttermilk herb dressing on the side.
Serves six
The hotter the grill, the better the grill marks will be on the watermelon slices. I like to brush spicy pepper jelly vinaigrette over the melon before it’s grilled because the sugars quickly caramelize, imparting incredible flavor. Feel free to substitute whatever vinaigrette you have on hand.
In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and whisk until well combined.
Light a charcoal or gas grill. Brush the pepper jelly vinaigrette over each watermelon slice. Let the watermelon marinate for a few minutes before placing on the hot grill. Grill each side of the watermelon slices for several minutes, remove, cut into large serving pieces and arrange on a platter.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar and basil in small mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat them well, then scatter them over the grilled watermelon pieces on the platter. Toss the lettuces in the vinaigrette remaining in the bowl.
3. Crumble the goat cheese over the tomatoes and watermelon. Scatter the dressed lettuces, then the fresh herbs, over the salad.
Salad: Serves six; Pepper jelly vinaigrette: Yields 4 cups
© 2012 MSNBC Interactive
video A former California highway patrolman has written a book in which he claims a 91-year-old man who died this year was the famed Zodiac Killer, who killed at least five people in the San Francisco area in the 1960s. NBC’s Mike Taibbi reports.
video The author of a new book about the life of Prince William says that the royal most likely to ascend to the throne was scarred by his parent’s marital problems, and long-believed he might not ever settle down. NBC’s Duncan Golestani reports.
video TODAY’s Jenna Wolfe speaks with stuntman Gary Connery, the first person to drop out of a helicopter wearing a “wing suit” and land without deploying a parachute.
video A lawyer for a 51-year-old New Jersey man accused of killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in New York City 33 years ago says his client has mental health problems that may come into play during his prosecution. Former FBI profiler Clint van Zandt discusses the case.
“ ”