Grill Week Day 1: How the Grill Got Started / Grilled Salmon with Corn Salsa

And like that, it's over.  Summer's stronghold has disappeared.  The days no longer top out in the 90's, the sweat only beads down my face around noon, and that funk has actually started to lose it's grip on the 14th Street Station.  Last week I only walked on the side of the street completely covered in shadow, and now I can walk wherever I choose.  Really, I'm not sad.

But I just got a grill, a real small grill.  So I've decided to make one last stab at summer, one last time to remember perfect Brooklyn nights and hot days at Coney, just to give it one last goodbye, so I can happily dive into fall.
I'm grilling like it's June and the hot days will never end.

Not that I have any idea what I'm doing.  Set me in front of a couple burners and I'll at least pretend that I have it all under control, but figuring how much charcoal to use, where the hot spots are on a 14.5 inch wide grill, or whether or not that enormous plume of black smoke pouring out the side is a good thing or not and I'll just shake my head.

While I got the grill for free, it didn't exactly come fully equiped.  I didn't have a charcoal chimney, a nice pair of long tongs, a thermometer, or even a nice set of directions on what to do...at all.  When I did go to the store to buy said items I couldn't find them because they are off season.

But I wanted to grill, to have only a flame between me and a great meal.  So taking an old spatula, a box of matches, a huge bag of self-starting charcoal, and one beer I set off to see what I could accomplish.

And I did all right.  My first meal of the week is probably going to be the easiest.  And it helps to start out with some wonderful looking fish like this piece of salmon.  I found this recipe in a Bobby Flay book that I can't remember, and then winged it from there.  The main thing I stole was the Honey Ancho Glaze, which really is quite perfect for this fish, and gave an even more pronounced smoky flavor to balance the crisp corn salsa

It was a slow start, though.  I just made a little charcoal mound in the middle of the grill and when they turned white I spread them out in a single layer.  I cooked the corn for a good 10 minutes before I realized that there needs to be more power or this was never going to work.  Once I stacked the coals to one side they focused the heat and got the dinner going.

Grilled Salmon with Honey Ancho Glaze and Corn Salsa

Serves 3

• 3 Salmon fillets (about 1/4 of a pound each)
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 3 ears of corn
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 lime
• 1 bunch of basil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Adapted from Bobby Flay

Start with salsa first.  Place the whole ear of corn on the grill and cook until it develops some blackened marks on one side.  Rotate the corn and cook again, repeat until all sides have a little bit of black on them.  If you're not quite sure, Blake did a nice little piece on it a week or two ago.

Once the corn has been removed, let it sit for a couple of minutes, or until you can pick them up.  When you can, remove the husks and any of the silk that's left.  Over a large bowl, take a sharp knife and cut the corn off the cob.

Mix in the chopped red onion, jalapeno, basil, the juice of 1 lime, and the olive oil.  Stir until mixed.

Coat each piece of salmon with a little bit of olive oil and salt.  Make sure there is a decent amount of heat coming from the coals.  It should kind of sizzle when you place the fish on.  Cook for about 5 minutes per side.  They should be firm to the touch and flaky.

Mix the honey, mustard, and the ancho chili powder in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer.  When the salmon is ready, pour the sauce over the salmon and complete each plate with a scoopful of the corn salsa.

Corn, Fish, Grill Week, Salmon, Seafood