Charcoal Grilled Salmon with Spicy Black Bean

This is the kind of plate that looks like a restaurant charged you forty dollars for it: charcoal-grilled salmon steaks basted with a lemon-basil marinade, sitting on a bed of spicy black beans that have been simmered low and slow with ham, jalapeños, and fresh thyme. The smoky char from the grill, the creamy heat from the beans, and the bright citrus from the marinade all work together.

The beans cook from dried, not canned, and that two-hour simmer with aromatics is what gives them their depth. Onion, carrot, celery, a whole garlic clove, and ham hock create a savory cooking liquid that the beans absorb as they soften. The vegetables and herbs get removed after cooking, leaving behind their flavor but not their texture. A toss with minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh lemon juice at the end wakes everything up with brightness and heat.

While the beans do their thing, the salmon marinates in lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh basil for an hour. Grill over moderately high heat and baste every minute with the marinade. That frequent basting builds up layers of charred, caramelized lemon and basil on the surface while keeping the interior moist.

Pro Tips

• Soak the black beans overnight before cooking. It cuts the simmer time and ensures even cooking so you don’t get some beans mushy and others crunchy.
• Oil the grill grates well before adding the salmon. Fish sticks to the grate worse than almost anything else, and skin-on salmon needs a clean release.
• The beans can be made a day ahead. They taste even better after sitting overnight as the jalapeño heat mellows and the flavors meld.

Variations

• Mango salsa topping: Spoon a fresh mango and red onion salsa over the grilled salmon for a tropical contrast to the earthy beans.
• Smoked paprika beans: Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the beans for an extra layer of smokiness that mirrors the charcoal grill.