Salmon. Deliciously meaty, always available and simple to prepare, this is the ideal fish to experiment with. There are a thousand different ways to prepare the king of fish. I tried it once with a brown sugar glaze but it was sickeningly sweet, although I enjoyed the caramelized crust it had. I tried again with a miso glaze but there was still missing something. I wanted it a little sweet, savory and with a twist. So while scouring my brain for ideas a light bulb went off and Smoked Blackberry Miso Salmon was born.

It all started with the cedar plank. My husband got a new grill recently and after talking him down from also getting a $300 smoker I was on a mission to find cedar planks to get that flavor. Now, don’t go down to the lumber yard and lob off a piece of cedar from any old board because they need to be food grade (aka – not treated with chemicals). Most kitchen supply stores have them or you can order them online. Let them soak at least 30 minutes before using them…you know, unless you want to burn your deck and house down.

I wanted the salmon to be savory much like the miso glazed one I had but it needed something acidic and sweet to make it all come together, so tart and sweet blackberries fit that bill.

I also grilled up a quick side of bok choy since this salmon had a bit of an Asian inspired flair. The leafy greens crisped up like kale chips and the stems were nice and soft.

There is a lot of controversy on what type of salmon to buy. If you do not want or like salmon you can try this marinade on another type of fish or even shrimp – choose what you want.

This really is one of the simplest recipes to prepare. You whisk everything together in a bowl and then let the salmon marinade in it for 30 minutes. Preheat your grill so it is nice and hot, place the fish on the plank and let it smoke with the lid down for approximately 10 minutes. Then brush more of the marinade on so you get a nice caramelized crust. Continue to smoke it with the lid down for 5-10 more minutes. To grill the bok choy brush it with olive oil, salt and pepper and let it cook about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.

If you do not have a grill you can certainly try this recipe in the oven. Place the plank and salmon in a casserole dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 400 degrees until done, approximately 10-20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup blackberry preserves
• 4 Tbsp yellow miso paste
• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp mirin*
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 pound salmon
• Cedar plank (optional)

Directions:

• Soak cedar plank in water for 30 minutes-2 hours
• Whisk first 6 ingredients in a bowl
• Place salmon in marinate and let rest 30 minutes at room temperature
• Preheat grill or prepare charcoals
• Place salmon on cedar plank and onto grill
• Put lid down and let smoke for 15-20 minutes, brushing more marinate on halfway through.

*Mirin is in the Asian section in most grocers. It is typically with the soy sauce and pre-bottled stir fry sauces. You cannot really substitute anything for mirin so if you cannot find it just leave it out. Find it though – it is worth it!