A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour; you have to add your own!
Directions for: Seaweed Salmon
Ingredients
4 6 oz skin-on salmon filets or other firm fish
1 Tbsp juniper berries, ground
cup birch syrup
cup walnut oil
1 Tbsp grainy mustard
Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Enough fresh seaweed to fill a picnic cooler, well rinsed and
Directions
1. To make a tree flavoured marinade, whisk the ground juniper berries, birch syrup, walnut oil, mustard, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Place the salmon in a freezer bag and add the marinade. Squeeze out the air and rest for a few hours or even overnight for more flavour. You may also use your favourite salmon marinade or just plain olive oil, salt and pepper on the fly!
2. Build a rip-roaring hard wood fire and let it die down. When you have a thick hot bed of fiery hot coals, cover a 12-inch square of them with a few handfuls of seaweed, an inch thick or so. Place the marinated salmon on top. Cover with another thicker layer of seaweed, perhaps six inches or so. The salmon will steam gently and cook through in 20 to 30 minutes. Peek and keep an eye on it. Use your campfire instincts for best results.
3. Alternatively you can fashion a double-thickness, tightly sealed foil pouch with heavy-duty foil enclosing the filets and place it directly in the hot coals. It will puff up and steam within and finish faster than the seaweed. 15 minutes or so.
See more: Summer, North American, Fish, Grill, Main