An award winning purveyor of salmon products, Cedar Bay Grilling Company brings the best of Atlantic Canada to seafood lovers homes around the world. Nestled on the South Shore hamlet of Blanford, Nova Scotia, their gourmet products can be found at local markets, like Publix for me, King Sooper, Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Ralph’s, Stop n Shop, Roche Bros, Hannaford, Giant Eagle and Giant too!
I was selected along with a few other bloggers to come up with a Cedar Plank full salmon grilling recipe, entree recipe, or appetizer recipe. So, I decided to kill two birds (or should I dare say salmon) with one stone, by creating my Grilled Salmon over Gouda Cheese Grits topped with Charred Summer Corn and Brown Butter Sauce entree.
First, the presentation of the full salmon on the plank stands on its own merit as a thing of beauty, and can easily be served with an array of vegetables, a bevy of salads, as a seafood charcuterie board with cheeses, pickles and crackers, as a sandwich or brunch board with cream cheese, onion, capers, soft boiled eggs and bagels, or as a deconstructed salad board. Leftovers, if there are any, can be mixed with mayonnaise for a cold sandwich or to put on morning toast, or mixed in a creamy pasta sauce and served over pasta, or rice. I’ve even made salmon cakes (a great appetizer by the way)!
Did I mention there is no prep work for the plank salmon? Just thaw, remove from packaging. and place it on the grill! I need easy recipes right now as we have had two deaths in our family recently and are still in recover mode. The Cedar Bay full salmon plank just works.
As far as grilling goes, who wouldn’t love to see this grilled salmon in a fish taco with slaw, on top of eggs with salsa, on top of a bed of nachos with cool guacamole, or in and asian inspired dish like a bowl of pho, or stuffed in a won ton with cream cheese? I know I would!
In taking the challenge to be creative and to remove the salmon from the board, I did not want to “mess” with the fish as some say, I wanted the flavors to shine through; just as I wanted to give the fish the respect that it deserved to stand on its own.
Using my deep Southern roots for research, and knowing that just about everyone from the Gulf Coast loves fish and grits, I decided to share with readers across the land one of my favorite dishes, yet with a twist–by grilling the salmon with corn to cut off the cob, and to serve sprinkled over the creamy gouda cheese grits topped with fresh parsley, and a drizzle of brown butter sauce. The brown butter sauce enhances the the Applewood, orange, and ginger that Cedar Bay originally prepared and packaged the fish with. FYI- they also make a Sugar & Spice full plank salmon too.
Browned butter sauce is quite literally, a one-ingredient sauce (if you use salted butter, that is). Melt it over medium-low heat, and the butter magically turns from merely melted into something toasty and nutty.
Stone ground real corn grits are one of the best farmed goods you can come by. Laden with butter and cream, salt and pepper, and good cheese, these (non-instant) grits are a heavenly corn porridge that can be transformed even further when a protein like fried oysters, blackened shrimp, or grilled fish (Cedar Bay Company salmon) is added on top. For those needing to move a bit faster in the kitchen to feed their family, quick grits work just as well and also are quite tasty.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
Time: 20 minutes
Gouda Grits
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup quick-cooking grits like the 5 minute grits.
I like stone ground when I have more time – just follow the directions they come with.
8 ounces gouda cheese, freshly grated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons freshly snipped chives or chopped flat leaf parsley
1 lemon cut in 4-6 pieces
For the grill
Cedar Bay Cedar Planked Salmon, Applewood with Orange & Ginger
2 ears sweet corn in husks, grilled, and then cut from the cob for serving
Spray bottle for flames if needed.
Brown Butter
1 stick salted butter
Gouda Grits Preparation
Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Once boiling, add the grits and whisk constantly until they are fully mixed into the stock, about two minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, stir again, and cover. Stir every few minutes until the grits are thick and creamy, about 6 minutes total. If too thick add more liquid. If to thin add a sprinkle more grits.
Stir in the grated Gouda cheese, butter, salt and pepper. Taste and season more if desired.
Grilled Salmon Preparation
Follow Cedar Bay Grilling Co. instructions.
Defrost Applewood Cedar Bay Planked Atlantic Salmon in packaging.
Remove by cutting with scissors around vacuum packaging.
Clean and oil grill grates.
Pre heat grill to high heat, about 425 degrees.
Place salmon and plank directly on grill, close the cover and cook for 18-20 minutes until the core temperature is 145 degrees.
Do not over cook. The salmon should be pink and flaky.
Have a spray bottle handy in case of flame flare ups.
Remove from the grill, let cool for a minute or three, and then place salmon on a platter to cut into 4 large or 6 even servings.
Note: Do not reuse the plank.
Charred Corn Preparation
Cut the tip of the husk and pull off a few leaves.
Place the corn in the husk directly on the oiled grill grates when the plank is placed on the grill.
Grill 15 to 18 minutes turning once or twice.
Remove when salmon is removed.
Cut from cob and set aside.
Pan Brown Butter Preparation
Cut one stick of butter into segments and put it in a small pan.
Melt on medium-low stirring occasionally for about two to three minutes.
Swirl the butter in the pan constantly until it begins to brown
Turn off the eye and set pan aside as the butter will continue cooking.
It should be medium brown in color, not dark brown which will result in bitterness.
To serve
Spoon the grits into individual serving bowls.
Sprinkle with charred corn and chives or parsley.
Place a piece of the salmon on top of the grits.
Drizzle pan brown butter on over the dish.
Top with squeeze of lemon (optional)
Immediately eat.
Make certain to visit Cedar Bay Grilling Company’s website, instagram, facebook, and twitter to keep up to date on their latest recipes, news and products. and to follow the hashtags, #TookTheChallenge, #cedarbaygrilling, #cedarbaysalmon, #cedarbayrecipechallenge.
Sponsored by Cedar Bay Grilling Company. All opinions are my own.