Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes & Basil

It has been hot hot hot here and the last thing I want to be doing is heating up the house cooking.  I dug around the freezer and found a few salmon fillets and remembered the recipe I tried out last summer from Eating Well magazine at the height of tomato season. 

Well, we certainly aren't at the height of tomato season at my house (my plants are so pathetic this year) but my basil plant was in desperate need of a trim.  I dug out some cedar planks to soak (although I don't know why I bother since they always go up in flames) and the rest was a snap to put together.  The tomatoes came from the local farmer's market so they were grown locally by somebody - just not me.  As always I used extra garlic and they took about 15 minutes on the grill.  The *corn man* has returned to the 4-way stop by our house, so I soaked and threw a couple ears on the grill as well.  David complained at the lack of carbs but I told him if he wanted to HE could heat up the house making some sort of side dish.

Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes and Basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 whole wild salmon fillet (also called a “side of salmon,” about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided

2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat grill to medium.

Mash minced garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife or a spoon until a paste forms. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oil.

Check the salmon for pin bones and remove if necessary. Measure out a piece of heavy-duty foil (or use a double layer of regular foil) large enough for the salmon fillet. Coat the foil with cooking spray. Place the salmon skin-side down on the foil and spread the garlic mixture all over it. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup basil. Overlap tomato slices on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Transfer the salmon on the foil to the grill. Grill until the fish flakes easily, 10 to 12 minutes. Use two large spatulas to slide the salmon from the foil to a serving platter. Serve the salmon sprinkled with the remaining 1/4 cup basil.


Per serving: 248 calories; 10 g fat ( 2 g sat , 5 g mono ); 80 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 35 g protein; 1 g fiber; 367 mg sodium; 799 mg potassium.