Barbecued Salmon with Field Greens
Submitted by quickspace
Spice-rubbed grilled salmon with chili, cumin, allspice, and paprika, served over organic field greens tossed in a smoky tomato-balsamic vinaigrette. A restaurant-quality dinner in 45 minutes.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
35 minCOOK
10 minREADY
45 minThis is the dish that turns a weeknight dinner into something that feels like a special occasion.
Salmon fillets get coated in a custom spice rub loaded with chili powder, garlic, onion, cumin, allspice, paprika, and white pepper. Six hours of marinating lets those spices really sink in.
On a hot grill (with soaked wood chips if you want that extra layer of smoke), the rub forms a dark, spicy crust while the salmon stays rich and silky inside.
The genius move? The leftover spice rub gets stirred into the salad vinaigrette. Vegetable juice, balsamic vinegar, chopped tomato, and olive oil tossed with field greens create a smoky, tangy bed that ties everything on the plate together.
Chef Tips
- Rub the salmon with a thin film of olive oil before grilling to prevent sticking and help the crust develop.
- Soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before adding to coals. They should smolder and smoke, not flame.
- Don’t overcook the salmon. At 8 to 10 minutes total on a hot grill, the center should still be slightly translucent. It will carry over as it rests.
- The spice rub makes more than you need on purpose. Stash extras in a sealed jar for steaks, chicken, or shrimp.
Ingredients
Directions
For the rub: Combine the chili, garlic and onion powders, the sugar, salt, allspice, cumin, white pepper and paprika in a food processor until thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle all but 1½ tablespoons of the rub on all sides of the salmon. Let fillets marinate for 6 hours.
To cook the salmon: Prepare a very hot grill. If you are using wood chips on the hot coals, first soak these in water so they will smoke more. Add soaked chips 5 minutes before starting the salmon.
Rub the fillets with a thin film of olive oil. Grill them approximately 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness.
For the field greens and vinaigrette: Clean and refresh the greens in cold water. Spin dry. Mix the vegetable juice, vinegar and tomato together with the reserved barbecue rub and olive oil. Toss with the greens.
To serve: Divide greens among plates. Top each plate with a salmon fillet. Spoon the remaining vinaigrette in the bowl over the salmon.
Serve hot.
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