Contributed
by Executive Chef Manly Slough Kinser Surfside Club, Okinawa,
Japan
Cedar-Roasted Salmon with Pickled
Ginger and Garlic Soy Paste - serves 4
Japan intersects with the Pacific Northwest in this lively cross-cultural
preparation of planked salmon. Easy to prepare, it's guaranteed
to tantalize your taste buds. Find thinly sliced pink pickled ginger
with prepared sushi in the refrigerated deli section of your supermarket
or packed in jars with other Asian ingredients. For an interesting
"bite," add a pinch of zesty wasabi, or any amount to
suite your taste for heat, into the garlic-soy paste. An optional
topping of capers adds another crisp layer of flavor to the fish
and ginger.
4 (8-ounce) salmon fillets
2 whole bulbs garlic
4 tablespoons soy sauce
6 slices pickled ginger
1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder or amount desired, optional
1 tablespoon capers, optional
Olive oil
Heat oven and plank to 375° F
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Cedar-Roasted
Salmon with Pickled Ginger and Garlic Soy Paste |
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To roast garlic, use a sharp knife and slice across tops of garlic
bulbs, just exposing the tops of the cloves. Place on the heated
plank; drizzle each bulb with olive oil. Roast for 40 minutes
or until garlic is very tender. Cool. Squeeze out soft, roasted
garlic from the papery skins surrounding each clove into a small
bowl. Discard skins.
Return plank to the oven.
In a small bowl, mix garlic with soy sauce to make a thin paste
that can be brushed on top of the salmon. Add wasabi if desired
and stir to blend. Use a small pastry brush to brush the paste
onto the salmon. Lay 5 to 6 slices of pickled ginger across each
fillet; sizes of ginger will vary, so arrange slices to cover
most of fillet surface. Top with a sprinkling of capers if desired.
Arrange salmon in the center of the preheated plank. Roast 20
to 30 minutes or until fish just begins to flake.
Note: If desired, add 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil to the garlic-soy
paste to intensify the flavors with more Asian flair.
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Chef Manly Slough
Curious and talented in the kitchen, executive chef Manly
Slough has been roasting various foods on wood for 20 years
as part of his culinary repertoire. He first roasted salmon
on alder planks while heading the food and beverage services
at the noted four star Kah-Nee-Ta Resort in Oregon. Captivated
by the added flavor and moist texture the savory wood gave salmon
served at a special feast prepared for a visiting Japanese TV
crew, Manly realized from the guests' reaction that roasting
on wood was something special. Intrigued, he continued experimenting
with a variety of wood-roasted foods.
"I admit I have gone a little overboard
at times," he says. "I've tried other fish, chicken, pork and
even buffalo, plus fruits, vegetables, lamb and even some sausage
- along with other woods such as juniper, apple and cherry."
Currently executive chef at the Kinser
Surfside Club in Okinawa, Japan, Manly has prepared specialty
menus and supervised food and beverage establishments in four
star class hotels, restaurants and convention centers throughout
the United States, Europe and Asia. He has also trained hospitality
staff members in several cultures and been a culinary arts instructor
in the United States. A certified executive chef, Manly is a
longstanding member of the American Culinary Federation.
"Here I am 20-some years later living
in Japan and what do I have on my menu," he asks? "Kah-Nee-Ta
Bird and Salmon Baked on Cedar with Smoked Butter."
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