Wild Alaska Grilled King Salmon, PNW, AK Fishing
Wild Alaska Grilled King Salmon with Asparagus Morels & Leeks. Pacific Northwest and Alaska wild salmon, eat fresh, buy wild, support our commercial fisheries. Get ready go wild and eat like royalty with this wild King Salmon that’s coupled with morel mushrooms, asparagus, and a creamy sauce that ties it all together. This meal will take a little longer to assemble than many recipes here at Salty Dog Boating News, but you’ll be able to taste every ounce of your effort that pairs with your 24 ounce salmon cut. For a crisper skin, be sure to follow the instructions carefully, and enjoy!
Recipe Ingredients:
1 pound slender asparagus, trimmed and cut in half on a diagonal
1 large leek (white part only), thinly sliced and rinsed well to remove dirt
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/2 pound fresh morel mushrooms, rinsed well and halved lengthwise, or 3/4 oz. dried morels*
1/4 cup fino sherry or dry white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 king or coho salmon fillet (1 1/2 lbs., 1 in. thick), with skin
1 cup whipping cream
NOTE: Soak dried morels in hot water until softened, 8 minutes. Squeeze out water; cut in half.
Preparing the Meal
- Boil asparagus until barely tender-crisp, 2 minutes; drain and rinse asparagus in cold water. Heat grill to medium-high (about 450°).
- Cook leek in butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes. Add thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and the morels; cook, stirring occasionally, until morels are tender, 5 minutes. Stir in sherry and reduce by half, 30 to 45 seconds. Set vegetables aside.
Cook Leeks Until Soft
- Fold a 12- by 17-in. sheet of heavy-duty foil in half crosswise. With a knife tip, poke dime-size holes through foil about 2 in. apart. Oil one side of foil. Rub fish on both sides with oil and put skin side down on foil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper.
Only Barely Cook Your Wild King Salmon Through
- Set salmon on foil on cooking grate; grill, covered, until fish is barely cooked through, about 10 minutes. With 2 wide spatulas, slide fish from skin to a warm baking sheet; tent with foil. If you want crisp skin, continue to cook skin on foil until crisp, 1 to 3 minutes more. Remove foil from grill, then gently peel off skin, using fingers or a wide spatula (skin may break into pieces). Set salmon skin, if using, on a platter.
- Add cream and asparagus to mushrooms and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring; boil longer to thicken sauce if you like. With 2 spatulas, set fish on skin. Spoon half the vegetable sauce over salmon and serve the rest on the side. Enjoy immediately.
Boaters, Try This Chef’s Recipe!
