Pesto Grilled Salmon Recipes

CEDAR PLANK-GRILLED SALMON WITH CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• This recipe is for OUTSIDE gas or charcoal plank-grilling.
• For the Cedar Planks: I use UNTREATED 1 by 8 construction grade cedar cut to the length of the amount of salmon you wish to cook. (I cut mine in 10-inch lengths for 2 (8- ounce fillets)
• Soaking the planks: Pre-soak cedar planks for at least 1 hour, preferably longer or overnight. Weigh down planks with heavy cans or stones to completely submerge the wood in water.
• Lightly coat the salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on cedar plank skin-side down.
• Turn on your gas grill to high heat. Place planks (loaded up with salmon) on the grill and close lid. Your grill will now turn into an oven/smoker. Cooking time required will vary depending on the size of the salmon. Be careful when you are lifting the grill lid because the burning plank will produce a lot of smoke. Try to keep the lid closed as much as possible as not to lower the temperature inside the grill. When salmon is cooked, remove fish from plank and plunge wood into a bucket of cold water. Serve the salmon immediately with the Cilantro Pesto.
• Place first 4 ingredients in blender or small food processor and completely puree. Add lime juice, jalapeno, and salt and pepper, to taste.

GRILLED SALMON WITH CREAMY PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium heat.
• Brush both sides of fish with oil. Grill, skin-sides down, 10 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork.
• Meanwhile, cook cream cheese and milk in saucepan on medium heat 2-3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. Stir in pesto.
• Serve fish topped with sauce and parsley.

GRILLED SALMON WITH PESTO CRUST

Steps:

• Heat a small skillet over medium heat; cook and stir pine nuts in the hot skillet until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Blend basil, Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, and garlic in a blender until a thick paste forms. Gradually stream olive oil into blender and continue blending until desired consistency of pesto is reached; season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper.
• Place salmon, skin-side down, onto grill grates; close grill and cook until salmon is about 2/3 done, 8 to 15 minutes. Remove salmon from grill using a spatula and transfer to a baking sheet, skin-side down. Spread pesto evenly over the salmon. Save extra pesto for another use if there are leftovers.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Broil salmon until fish flakes easily with a fork and pesto is bubbling, about 5 minutes.

PESTO GRILLED SALMON

Steps:

• Put sauce ingredients in food processor and blend until creamy.
• Coat grill rack with oil and place salmon skin down. Grill covered over medium heat for 5 minutes (can broil if you don't have a grill).
• Spoon pesto over salmon reserving 1/4. Grill 15-20 minutes more basting with remaining pesto occasionally until fish flakes with fork.

PESTO GRILLED SALMON

Steps:

• Place salmon skin side down on lightly oiled grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5 minutes., In a small bowl, combine the pesto, onions, lemon juice and garlic. Carefully spoon some of the pesto mixture over salmon. Grill until fish flakes easily with a fork, 15-20 minutes longer, basting occasionally with remaining pesto mixture.