Here is a great easy dinner all planned out for you.  The only thing you need to do ahead is the glaze.  It takes no time to put together, just time to reduce on the stove.

Salmon with a Maple Ginger glaze grilled on a cedar plank.  Included in the dinner are grilled zucchini and crooked necked squash, Farmer’s Market tomatoes, and a field green salad with a Balsamic Champagne Vinaigrette.

For the Salmon:

1 ¾ Pound Fresh Salmon

1 bunch of Chives or Green Onions[1]

1 Untreated Cedar Plank (I purchased mine at Whole Foods.)

Soak a cedar plank in water for 12-24 hours. 

Glaze:

1 C              Maple Syrup, Grade B

2-3 TBSP   Ginger, freshly grated (see the best grater)

4 TBSP       Lemon Juice

3 TBSP       Tamari Sauce (I prefer San-J wheat free)

Prepare Glaze:

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer until reduced to less than 1 cup.  I find in Colorado altitude this takes about 1 hour.  You can make this a day or two early.  Just reheat to use.  

To cook:

Place the soaked plank on a hot grill and let it blacken on one side, about 15 minutes.  (You will hear it start to crackle.)  Once it is black, turn it over.  Lay onions on plank.  Place salmon on top of that.  Pour ½ of glaze on top of salmon.  Close lid and grill on medium to high until salmon is cooked, approximately 10 minutes.  Note:  You may want to keep a spray bottle of water near by in case the plank starts to burn.

Zucchini & Crooked Neck Squash Grilled:

1-2              Zucchini, depending on size, sliced lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces depending on thickness

1-2              Crooked Neck Squash, sliced lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces depending on thickness

2 TBSP       Fresh Oregano, chopped[2]

2 TBSP       Parmesan, grated
S&P to taste

Olive oil to coat

Prepare:

Drizzle olive oil over both sides of squashes.  Turn skin side down on outside pieces.  On one side sprinkle oregano and parmesan over evenly.  S&P to taste.   Place on grill, olive oil only side down.  Grill for approximately 10 minutes or until squash is soft but not over cooked.

Salad:

The basic salad I did was this one.  The differences is I used the following ingredients but the same dressing.

Field Greens

Yellow Bell Pepper

Toasted Pecan pieces

Applewood Goat Cheese

Dried Cranberries

Serves 4

 

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[1] Chives are a perennial and are really easy to grow.  By having them in my garden, I can save money since I don’t have to buy them and they are a great substitute for green onions.

[2] Oregano is another perennial herb that is so easy to grow.  I planted mine years ago and it just keeps coming back in abundance every year.