Skewered Salmon
The most forgiving fish recipe in the collection: salmon cubes in a five-minute lemon-thyme toss, packed snugly onto soaked skewers and cooked close to the heat without turning. The no-turn method is the whole trick - nothing sticks, nothing breaks, and the centers stay silky.
Ingredients
- About 1 1/4 pounds salmon steak
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Fresh juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Method
- Soak four 8-inch wooden skewers in a shallow dish of water for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut the salmon into 1 1/2-inch cubes, removing skin and bone. Place in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat. (You may cover and chill at this point, several hours or overnight.)
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill, or the broiler. Thread the salmon onto the damp skewers - if pieces are oblong, skewer through the short sides so the skewer runs lengthwise - and push the pieces together so they touch. Cover exposed skewer ends with foil if desired.
- Cook about 6 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes, without turning, until just cooked through.
- Serve straight from the skewers - the centers should still be silky, not dry and flaky.
Notes from the Grill
Pushing the cubes together is deliberate: they insulate each other and finish as one tender piece rather than six dry ones. The fish cooks too briefly to set the wood alight, but the skewer ends will char - hence the foil. If your salmon is on the thin side, check at four minutes.
Serving Ideas
Slide the cubes off the skewers over a Greek-style salad, or serve them on rice with a squeeze of the remaining lemon half - the recipe only used the juice of one side.