Salmon Tacos - Spice Rubbed and Cedar Planked

We got hooked on fish tacos on our recent trip to the North Carolina Coast and wanted to make our own when we got home. Watching Grill It! with Bobby Flay one evening we saw him cooking with a guy named John Aspra, who goes by the moniker Epicurean Cowboy. He was making grilled, cedar planked, spice-rubbed Salmon Tacos that seemed to combine everything we like: sweetness, spice, heat, and crunch. How bad could it be? You've got to check out the video and see if you agree, it sold us and we're glad it did. The salmon is fabulous in the tacos and review after review also said the salmon was delicious served on it's own as a dinner's main course.

The weekend's coming, got a crowd gathering at your house? Try making these, they're real crowd pleasers, and the work can all be done before your first guest graces your threshold. I still love the memory of that simple fish taco on the Outer Banks, but this spiced up version has some real pizzazz.

Salmon Tacos - Spice Rubbed and Cedar Planked
Yield: 24 tacos 

Spice Rub:
3 to 4 cups golden brown sugar
1/4 cup good quality dark roast coffee, coarsely ground
1/2 cup seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1/4 cup ground turmeric
1/4 cup curry powder
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder 

Ensalada for Tacos:
1 bunch of fresh cilantro leaves; chopped (yields approximately 1 cup)
1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley; chopped (yields approximately 1 cup)
1 bunch fresh green onion; chopped (yields approximately 1 cup)
2 fresh pasilla chiles fire roasted, stemmed, seeded and chopped
2 fresh Anaheim chiles fire roasted, skinned and chopped
1/2 head fresh red cabbage, chiffonade
1/2 head fresh green cabbage chiffonade
2 serrano chiles, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

6 pounds wild salmon fillet, boneless and skinless
3 cedar grilling planks (soaked for 3 hours)
4 dozen fresh corn tortillas (preferably homemade)
1 pound Cojita cheese crumbled for topping tacos (replace with Parmesan or Feta if Cojita is unavailable)
Pico de Gallo or Salsa of choice (we used mango salsa)
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Directions:

• Thoroughly mix all of the rub ingredients in a glass bowl and set aside. Cooks Note: Can be sealed in storage bag or jar for up to 1 week. This will make about 6 cups.
• Combine all of the ensalada ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. Set aside for tacos.
• Cut the salmon fillet into 3 equal parts. Drizzle olive oil over the pre-soaked cedar planks, then lay down a layer of the spice rub. Arrange salmon on top of the cedar planks. Drizzle the top of the salmon with olive oil, then cover it liberally with the spice rub (approximately 1 cup per pound in total). It's ok if some spice rub falls onto the plank.
• Heat the grill to high.
• Put the salmon planks over very hot mesquite/oak or hickory coals and cover the grill until the spice rub has melted to form a coating over salmon and plank, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the cover from the grill. If the planks flame up be sure the flames do not scorch the fillet, as the taste of burned sugars should not be the dominating flavor.

• Remove the salmon planks from the grill and loosely cover with foil. Allow the fillets to rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then chop coarsely/flake.
• Add the salmon to a large bowl and set aside. 
• In the meantime, toast the corn tortillas over the hot coals or on a preheated cast iron skillet about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat and stack on a plate covered by a clean towel.
• To serve, place two overlapping toasted corn tortillas on a plate, scoop some of the salmon onto the tortillas, top with some of the ensalada, cheese and pico de gallo or salsa.  

If you have a favorite fish taco recipe, share it here, we'd all love it. 

 

Comments

[Barbara Andolsek Paintings]

Oh you guys! I want this meal and now, anytime. DELISH.