Strawberry Moon

The Strawberry Moon, Honey Moon, Hot Moon and Rose Moon are all  lovely, evocative names for the first full moon in June.   The Northwest coastal tribes called the early summer moon the Fish Moon.  These days it should be the Copper River Salmon Moon, with all the hype over the Alaska fish run.

Last night's full moon passed behind the Earth just before dawn for the first partial lunar eclipse of 2012.  "Just before dawn" was about 1:30 am, a bit early even in this house of early risers. I  heard the robin go off like an alarm clock at 4 am, but the clouds rolled in last night and today will be wet-- no moon at all. 

Dreams of Strawberry Moon- by Michael Rock

Except for the longer days, it doesn't feel anything like summer yet and the temperature is way below normal.  It will snow on the higher mountain passes this week-- strange for June. After two chilly, wet summers in a row we're overdue for a nice one. All year I look forward to cooking lighter summer food outside, like grilled salmon.

Once I ordered "cedar planked" salmon in a restaurant and thought never again.  It showed up on a lukewarm board and was almost raw!  No chef in Seattle would risk overcooking (and ruining) a pricey piece of fish, but I think the fashion for eating undercooked seafood is over-rated.  I'll bet the First People smoked the heck out of their salmon.

If you've known us a long time, you might remember having an alder-smoked salmon dinner here at the house.  I had a pretty good technique once for cooking fillets over charcoal with wet alder chips. Now I have a fancy gas grill and everything is done differently.

Well, as they say, never say never.  Bartell's Drug Store had alder "grilling planks" on sale so I thought why not give it a try at home?  The plank is just an untreated piece of wood and the idea is to "smoke" the fish on top with the grill lid down.  The flavor comes from the board bottom charring (yes, catching on fire) but hopefully not going up like tinder before your fish is cooked. A hour pre-soak in water gives you a head start. 

So you just season the salmon (yes, another Douglas rub) slap it on the soaked plank, turn down the grill, close the lid and hope for the best.

Once again, the Weber comes through. It took about 15 minutes to become this Native American looking delicacy they would be proud to serve tourists out on Blake Island.  Not raw, not dry, just right.

P.S. This is free-range salmon, although not from the Copper River high rent district.  Still pretty darn good on a non-summery night.