Surf and Surf: Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon and Halibut with Parsley and Dill Pesto

Name: Surf and Surf: Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon and Halibut with Parsley and Dill Pesto
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 1 1/4 pounds skin-on salmon fillets; 1 1/4 pounds skin-on halibut fillets; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; Parsley and Dill Pesto (recipe follows); 1 or 2 small garlic cloves, peeled; 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1/2 cup packed fresh dill; 2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon (see page 165) or 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest; 2 ounces semihard cheese (page 23), grated (1/2 cup); 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; (makes 1 cup)

December 22, 2011

THIS IS A NORTHWEST TAKE ON THE CLASSIC SURF AND TURF, but instead of steak I like to include another fish. Halibut and salmon make a great combination because they have complementary flavors, cooking times, and thickness. (If you can get Alaskan halibut, even better.) Grilled on a cedar plank and served with fresh pesto, the fish have flavors that really pop. You can use any untreated cedar board to cook the fish. Cookware stores sell rather thick planks, but some big box hardware stores and large grocery stores sell thinner untreated cedar planks in the barbecue department.

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