Cedar Plank Salmon with Fresh Summer Salads

Last weekend my friend Tania and I were inspired by Food&Wine magazine (per usual) and decided to invite friends over and make dinner.  We used fresh veggies that she bought at the Farmers Market that day and went to Whole Foods for the rest.

What was on the menu:

Drinks: Moscow Mules and Red Wine (or what was left of them by dinner time)
Main Dish: Cedar Plank Salmon with Lemon and fresh dill
Salads: Orzo salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Raw Zucchini & Mixed Green Salad with Raw Asparagus, Corn, and Avocado
Dessert: French Yogurt Cake with Fresh Raspberries (courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine... Out-of-this-world!)

Cedar Plank Salmon
-cedar plank (comes in a pack of two at Whole Foods)
-about a pound and a half of salmon (ideally a nice wild variety)
-fresh dill
-a few lemons (cut in slices)
-2 cups Sake (for marinating)
-soy sauce
-sesame oil
-agave nectar
-salt

1. Cut salmon into two inch pieces. I removed skin ahead of time, but you don't need to.
2. Marinate salmon in sake. I placed filets in ziploc bags and poured in Sake. Leave in refrigerator for about an hour.
3. To make glaze: mix two Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. agave in bowl, about 1/2 a cup of chopped dill, and a couple pinches of salt in a bowl.
4. When salmon is ready, place filets on cedar plank. About an inch or two apart. Spoon glaze generously on salmon. Add a couple slices of lemon to each filet and top with a couple sprigs of dill.
5. Place cedar plank in oven at 375 degrees for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the strength of your oven. It should have a nice golden-brown tint when it is ready.

Orzo Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Raw Zucchini
-1 1/2 cup whole wheat orzo
-about 2 cups cherry tomatoes
-2 medium sized zucchinis
-olive oil
-lemon juice
-balsamic vinegar
-oregano (fresh would be lovely, but we used dried oregano)
- salt&pep

1. Cook orzo, drain, cool.
2. Roast tomatoes on a tray with olive oil in oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.. Or until bubbly and browned. Let cool.
3. For zucchini, I wanted to make ribbons using a vegetable peeler, but unfortunately our tools were a little unsatisfactory so I ended up just cutting them into small pieces. If you have a veggie peeler, try the thin ribbons, its such a nice touch!
4. Add all ingredients to bowl. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, a little balsamic vinegar, and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.

Serve cold.

Mixed Green Salad with Raw Asparagus, Corn, and Avocado
-mesclun greens (any greens, really)
-1 avocado
-can of corn, rinsed and drained (or fresh, raw corn, if you have)
-small bunch asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
-dressing: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper


Feast!!