Recipe: Plank Fish

Nancy B -- Last Sunday on a local radio
show, two chiefs were discussing planked
fish in detail. I was in my car at the time...
I could almost swear I could smell the fish
cooking (hee hee) because they made it sound so good.

I could never remember all they said to help
you here, myself, so I found a couple of spots
on the Internet with plank fish info. I copied
these two sites below. I hope this helps.

_______________________________Native Americans were probably the first
people to plank Salmon and Lake Trout.
While they probably started by just sticking
it on a stake next to the fire, European
technology brought a new twist, planked boards
and nails. This has always been a popular way
for the people living around the Great Lakes
to cook the big, oily Lake Trout so abundant
throughout most of history. Because planking
fish is a great way to cook for a crowd, planked
Lake Trout was a staple at summer picnics for the
fishing families on Isle Royale.

You don't need Lake Trout or Salmon to enjoy
planked fish. Any species of trout (or other
oily fish) tastes great this way. Just
use a smaller board.

Fish grilled on a board takes on the flavor
of the fire and the board. If you like (and
want to go to the trouble) a fruitwood
board (wild cherry, peach, pear or apple)
adds a subtle touch. But for those of us who
can't find two inch thick exotic planks in
our fishing territories, use oak or cedar.
The greener the better, a little sap only
adds flavor to the fish and aroma to the
process.

The board should be about two inches wider
than the fillets you're grilling (about 8/10
inches for 2 Lake Trout or Steelhead
filets laid side by side.)

Build your fire a little bigger than normal
and use a hardwood that leaves hot, long
lasting coals. When you start cooking the
embers should have a temperature and
appearance similar a bed of "ready" charcoal
briquettes.

Lightly oil one side of the plank with olive
or vegetable oil and lay it over the coals.
Char the board and remove it. Brush the
charred side with oil again. Lay the board
flat and nail the fish, skin side down, to
the board. Now prop the board and fish up
facing the fire about three to five inches
away from the edge of the fire. Cook the fish
about 15-20 minutes per inch of thickness,
measured at the thickest part or until the
flesh is opaque. Right before it's done,
lightly brush it with oil and season
with salt, pepper, and parsley or dill.

Serve the fish right on the board. The skin
will stick to the plank and you can serve the
flesh with a spatula. The result is smoky,
succulent grilled fresh fish without a grill.

A good companion dish is foil baked potatoes,
onions or corn. Or you can combine all three
and some fresh peppers for a spicy package of delight.

For each member of your party; lay down a
double sheet of tinfoil about 8-12" long. In the
middle put two or three peeled and chunked medium
size potatoes, a quarter onion and a half big
(whole small) cob of peeled fresh corn. Now chop
up some fresh peppers (green for a mild taste,
jalapenos for a hot one) and add to the pile
according to individual tastes. I've found most
adults like a little bit of hot peppers more
than a lot of mild ones. For children I mostly
just leave out the onion and peppers.

You can also toss in a few cloves of fresh garlic
(roasted garlic cloves become sweet and crunchy and,
oddly enough, not "garlicky" at all).

Throw on about a teaspoon of butter, wrap, and
place directly in the fire about twenty minutes
before starting the fish. Turn two or three
times while cooking. Anyone who has never
tasted sweet corn simmered in butter and hot
peppers is in for a surprising treat.

______________________________

CEDAR PLANK FISH WITH CITRUS HORSERADISH CRUST

1/4 cup white wine
Juice from 1 lemon
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cold butter, cubed
Salt and pepper
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons grated horseradish
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Kosher salt
Sugar to taste
2 (8-ounce) trout fillets, skin off
Essence
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 (10-inch) untreated cedar planks

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan,
combine the wine, lemon juice, peppercorns, bay
leaf, and thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil and
reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the
cream and bring the liquid back to a boil and
reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Whisk in the butter, a cube at a time, until all
the butter is incorporated. Season the sauce with
salt and pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine
mesh strainer and keep warm.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil.
Blanch the lemon and orange zest for 1 minute.
Remove the zest from the water and shock in an
ice bath. Remove the zest from the ice
bath and pat dry.

In a mixing bowl, combine the horseradish,
blanched zest, lemon juice, orange juice, and
cilantro. Season the crust with the kosher salt
and sugar. Season the fillets with Essence.

Rub the top of each plank with olive oil.

Place one fillet on each plank. Divide the crust
in half and cover the top of each fillet with the
crust. Place the planks on a sheet pan and place in
the oven. Bake the fillets for 12 to 15 minutes or
until the crust is golden and the fish is flaky.

Serve the planks with butter sauce. Yield: 2