I enjoyed a holiday with my brother, George, and his family in British Columbia during July. My family was treated to several seafood meals. While visiting a niece, Ernie Koizumi offered to barbecue prawns and fresh wild sockeye salmon. I became his willing assistant.
We peeled two types of prawns: frozen black tiger prawns from Thailand and frozen B.C. spot prawns. Both were about two to three inches (5 -7 cm) in length. The Thai prawns were firm and easy to peel while the B.C. prawns were delicate and needed to be handled gently to prevent tearing the flesh as the shell was peeled off. We left the tails on to hold while eating.
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The prawns were marinated and then barbecued. Three different marinades were used in which the prawns were tossed to coat and allowed to sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Ernie barbecued them on high heat for two to three minutes per side until the flesh turned white. The spot prawns only took about two minutes per side to cook. For easier handling, they could be laced onto barbecue skewers.
I discovered B.C. prawns have a delicate texture and taste. When cooked, they are so tender they almost melt in your mouth. The stronger the marinade, the less the true prawn flavour comes through.
SPOT PRAWN MARINADE
This is a light marinade for the delicate taste of the spot prawns.
2 tbsp. oil 30 mL
1 tsp. dried oregano 15 mL or 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped 15 mL
3 –4 fresh garlic, finely chopped
LIME PLUM SAUCE MARINADE
1 lime
3 tbsp. plum sauce 2 –3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. maple syrup 30 mL
1/2 c. chicken broth 125 mL
Zest the lime (finely grate the peel), then cut the lime in half and juice it. Add the plum sauce, garlic, onion and maple syrup. Stir to blend, add prawns and toss to coat.
THAI SWEET RED CHILI SAUCE
Use Thai sweet red chili sauce to coat the prawns. Toss to coat and then marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
DIPPING SAUCE
Everyone was given a small bowl in which to mix a dipping sauce.
3 tbsp. soy sauce 45 mL 1/4 –1/2 tsp. wasabi paste 1 –2 mL (or to your taste)
Wasabi or wasabe is also called Japanese horseradish. It is available in a paste or as a powdered form.
Ernie also brought wild sockeye salmon fillets that he had marinated in a teriyaki sauce. He likes to marinate his salmon for up to five days to develop the flavour. He prefers a male salmon that has swam a thousand miles up river, because this develops the oil in the belly area and produces nice thick fillets. Female salmon have thin walled bellies because they carry the eggs.
ERNIE’S SALMON TERIYAKI SAUCE
equal parts of Kikkoman soy sauce and brown sugar fresh grated ginger
Mix and pour over 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick salmon fillets that have been cut into one-inch (2 cm) strips. Refrigerate overnight or up to five days.
Barbecue on high heat at 400 F (200 C) for up to three minutes per side. Ernie’s preference is to remove the fish while it is red in the centre and then allow it to stand for a few minutes to finish cooking.
CHRIS’S BARBECUED RED PEPPERS
2 whole red peppers 2 –3 tbsp. oil 30 –45 mL
Wash the peppers and dry. Pour oil on a plate. Roll the peppers in oil to coat well. Place on a 400 F (200 C) barbecue and grill five minutes on each side, for a total of 20 to 25 minutes. Remove to a plate and carefully slice in half, remove seeds and stem. Cut into large chunks and serve.
PLANKED SALMON
George and his wife, Lynne, served fresh wild sockeye salmon cooked on the barbecue on cedar and alder planks.
On one half-pound fillet, Lynne used West Coast salmon rub. It contained sugar, sesame seeds, paprika, salt, onion powder, black pepper, mustard, dill and tarragon. One tablespoon (15 mL) of this was mixed with two tablespoons (30 mL) of oil and rubbed on the salmon fillet. One teaspoon (5 mL) of a seafood rub, which contained salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, mustard, cumin, white pepper, coriander, chili, powder and cayenne pepper, was mixed with two tablespoons (30 mL) of oil and rubbed into another salmon fillet. On a third fillet, Lynne used lemons and lemon juice.
PLANKED SALMON &LEMONS
The following plank preparation and barbecuing times were used for all three fillets.
1 untreated cedar plank 8 x 16 in. (20 x 40 cm)
1/2 lb. salmon fillet 250 g 1/4 –1/2 inch (0.5 –1 cm) thick
2 tbsp. lemon juice 30 mL 1 lemon, sliced
The plank used should be a little larger than the salmon fillet. Immerse the plank in a sink or large container of water. Place a heavy object on plank to keep it submerged. Soak for at least two hours.
Rinse and pat dry the fillet. Remove plank from water and rinse. Place salmon skin side down on the cedar plank. Pour the lemon juice over the salmon. Arrange the slices of lemon on the fillet. Put the plank directly on the barbecue grill. Lower the lid on the barbecue and cook over low heat 300 F (150 C) for 40 to 45 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
The salmon was served directly from the plank. The cedar taste was much more pronounced in the fillet cooked with the lemons. The cedar and alder flavours were less noticeable in the fillets seasoned with the rubs.
All about planking
In planking, the food is placed on a one inch (2 cm) thick wooden board. It is perfect for delicate food like fish fillets, which would be difficult to cook directly on a barbecue grate. Any food that requires a longer cooking time can be cooked on a plank. The smoky flavour of the wood is absorbed by the food during the cooking process.
•Use only freshly cut boards or purchase boards that are sold for plank cooking. Never use wood that has been previously stained, painted or contains wood preservatives. Do not reuse planks for cooking, because it is impossible to remove the food residue.
•Typically cedar is used, but alder, oak, maple, cherry or apple can also be used. Any wood that is used for smoking food is also good for plank grilling.
•Cedar is excellent for cooking seafood, poultry, beef or
vegetables. It has a sweet, smoky, spicy essence.
•Alder complements seafood, poultry, pork and beef with a delicate smoky flavour that is lighter than cedar with hints of vanilla.
•Oak is strong but not overpowering and is a good wood for beef or lamb. Oak is probably the most versatile of the hard woods.
•Maple gives a sweet flavour that is excellent with poultry and ham.
•Cherry has a sweet, mild flavour that goes great with everything. This is one of the most popular woods for smoking.
•Apple is mild in flavour and sweetens food. This is good with poultry and pork. Apple will discolour chicken skin, turning it dark brown.
•The wood from wine and whiskey barrels will impart a unique flavour when the boards are used for plank cooking.
Source: http://bbq.about.com .
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
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45 mL
