Salmon Chanted Evening, or A Fish Tale — Hot Alderwood Smoked Salmon — Thai Boxing Square Chicken
The sturdy fishing boat, Maranatha, left Dockside Charters in Depoe Bay just before first light on this brisk August morning. (The name Maranatha puzzled us until we could google it; however, we were relieved that we weren’t leaving dry land on any boat called the Minnow.) Victor, Ann Thompson and I were bundled in layers as advised by the pamphlet advertising Dockside’s various fishing expeditions. (Ann is one of Vic’s colleagues who was recently set free from the daily grind at the Statesman Journal in Salem.) We were determined to line our freezers with a day’s limit of fresh Oregon coho salmon.
Depoe Bay has the distinction of being the world’s tiniest harbor at a mere six acres. For those of you whose memory can stretch back to 1975, the fishing sequence in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was filmed here.
This odyssey was on the calendar well before The Taste of Oregon was even conceived. Our recent crabbing adventure at Rockaway Beach left us with more than just crabs. We wanted to try our sea legs in deeper waters.
The Maranatha was piloted by Laird who had recently retired from Salem Electric. One of the first bits of instruction Laird gave us before we took to sea was demonstrating how to turn the autopilot off and steer to safety should this be the day he was to meet his maker. (Concerned looks were exchanged and thoughts of the S.S. Minnow re-entered our minds.) He also pointed out the location of the life raft on the roof of the cabin.
Laird looked every bit the salty sea dog with well-weathered skin and snow-white hair and outfitted with baggy, chest-high waders held up with sturdy suspenders. He regularly peppered the morning with phrases like “If God wanted us to have that fish, it would’ve stayed on the hook.” A “drive by” was a smart fish stealing your bait without getting hooked.
There were lulls in the morning, with no bites, but we were often treated to schools of iridescent and brilliantly hued jellyfish. Some were tiny and others had tentacles trailing several feet. It was an impressive show. An even more stunning show was the ever-changing and colorful dawn viewed from offshore.
- The sun rises over the Oregon Coastal Range off Depoe Bay.
We began this quest eager to return home with our three-salmon-per-person limit. We had been assured that there were plenty of available fish, as charters had been returning with full quotas in less time than the scheduled 5-hour excursion. Apparently we didn’t do our salmon dance today because God was definitely giving us plenty of wild salmon instead of the legal hatchery fish. Aargh!
Before I go on, let me tell you that Oregon has very strict laws to protect our fish and wildlife, and breaking them can be expensive. We could keep only hatchery fish that had reached a length of 16 inches and could not be wild. (The state hatcheries regularly release thousands of young cohos with their adipose fins clipped so you can tell them from the wild ones.) Laird would’ve probably laid down the law thusly: “If God wanted us to keep that fish, He would’ve clipped that fin himself.” Seems God had blessed the legal fish that day.
Although there were many bites and quite a few were landed in the boat, we returned home with only two fish, one for Ann to satisfy the dinner guests her hubby, Dennis, had invited impromptu while our small but determined trio was braving the mighty Pacific Ocean, and one for us. Our Saturday party was larger and we already planned to include Vic’s famous Thai Boxing Square Grilled Chicken so our humble amount could be adequately stretched. (Stay tuned for Vic’s elaboration on his dish.)
Let me tell you that upon seeing that taut rod and line begin its wild dance and then feeling the powerful and wildly determined resistance of your catch, thinking of anything else is near impossible. The adrenalin rush is contagious and even our on-looking mates became helpless to do anything else except assist in landing the fish. Amazingly, thinking of a camera at such a momentous time was beyond all mortals on board.
Being that two-thirds of our party had been God-gifted with journalistic inquiring minds, we learned that fresh wild salmon was fetching anywhere from about $10-27 per pound at the markets. Our guests should feel extra special that we splurged and spent more than $70 per pound, not including mileage. Only the best!
Hot Alder Wood-smoked Salmon – adapted from a Cooks Illustrated recipe.
Please note that your grill rack must be fastidiously clean & well oiled in order to easily remove your cooked fish in one piece.
For the brine:
- 1 cup (240 ml.) kosher salt (½ cup, or 120 ml., if using table salt)
- 1 cup (240 ml.) sugar
For the fish:
- About 2–2½ pounds (900-1200 g.) fresh salmon filet
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons (7.5 ml.) paprika (sweet)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml.) fresh ground white pepper
- Remove any pin bones from the salmon. These are the bones that line the center of the filet lengthwise. It’s easy to find them if you rest the filet on a convex surface such as an upside-down large mixing bowl. Using very clean pliers, pull the bones straight up and out.
- Removing Pin Bones
- Pour 2 cups (480 ml.) of hot water over the salt and sugar. (I use a very large measuring cup and whisk it with an emersion blender until dissolved.) Add this and 5 cups (1.2 l.) of very cold water and the salmon to a large, sturdy, zippered plastic bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate for about 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, soak a generous amount of wood chips (I use alder) in another sealable plastic bag along with enough hot water to cover.
- Remove the salmon from the brine and gently rinse and blot dry with paper towels. Place the filet on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to hold it comfortably. Oil both sides of the filet, especially the skin side. Mix together the paprika and white pepper and spread evenly on the flesh side of the salmon.
- Prepare your coals and, when ready, pile to one side of the grill. Drain the water from your soaked wood and seal in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Punch a few holes in the top to allow the smoke to escape and place on the red-hot coals.
- Place the rack on your grill, oil it generously and gently slide the salmon onto the clean rack opposite the coals. Open the bottom vents for good ventilation, and cover, with the top vent open over the fish side to draw the smoke by it.
After about 1½ hours the salmon should be thoroughly cooked and heavily flavored with the smoke. If you’re concerned about doneness, you can check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer. My experience has yielded perfectly cooked and smoked salmon in the recommended 90 minutes. - Carefully remove the salmon filet to a serving platter. You can do this using 2 spatulas or more if you have a confident assistant. (I used to prepare whole, boned, stuffed flounder on the East Coast and had a wooden-handle aluminum pizza peel bevel-ground around the edge to facilitate removal of very large fish from the grill or baking pans.
The smoked salmon and the Thai Boxing Square Chicken would both be well accompanied by almost any Oregon Pinot Noir fitting in your budget. When my pockets are deep I would choose one from Carlo and Julian Winery in nearby Carlton. Should you want a lighter taste, I recommend the Left Coast Cellars‘ slightly petulant Pinot Gris, which has a pleasant, sweet finish. To quote the makers at Left Coast:
“Mouth-filling and opulent, the 2006 Pinot Gris simply waltzes on your tongue! Aromas of white truffle, honeydew melon and lychee greet before the wine finales in a caramelly smooth finish. With residual sugar of about 1%, this will please those looking for a sweeter wine, although its uncompromised balance and elegance will likely win over even the most traditional dry wine drinkers. Serve this wine over the holidays with a cheese, dried fruit and nut platter for a sophisticated take on dessert, or, conversely, pair with spicy Indian or Thai dishes.”
Thai Boxing Square Chicken
In the old days when I was growing up in Bangkok, Thailand, the public field in front of the Royal Palace turned into a huge food market on weekends. There were boxing rings set up at night and also stages where Thai plays were performed. Below is a recreation of the roast chicken that I remembered eating at the food market when I was growing up. NOTE for folks who are sensitive to wheat gluten: Omit Maggi.
Thai Boxing Square Chicken
- 1 whole chicken
- 7 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 cup (240 ml.) chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) mirin (not salted)
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml.) coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml.) Maggi Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml.) fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml.) fresh ground white pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1½ tablespoons (22.5 ml.) vegetable oil
- Pound together in a mortar and pestle garlic, ginger and cilantro. Whisk together with remaining ingredients.
- Pounding ingredients with Thai mortar and pestle
- Coat chicken and marinate for at least 15 minutes. (We marinate overnight.)
- Truss chicken and cook on a spit over hot coals. You can also use chicken pieces, marinate and cook on the grill.
Thai Boxing Square Grilled Chicken and Hot Smoked Coho Salmon
Bon appétit!
—Charles and Vic
Category: Outdoors, Seafood, Wine/Wineries
About the Author (Author Profile)
Music, food and photography are at the center of Charles’ life. He performed with the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera and was assistant principal bassoonist with the Fort Worth Symphony for more than 20 years. When Charles and Victor moved to Baltimore, Charles created Lone Star Personal Chef and Catering Service and taught cooking classes at Williams-Sonoma. Now in Salem, Charles is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Mountain West Real Estate, taught cooking classes for children at the A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village, and owns and operates Charles Price Photography. Charles and Vic enjoy entertaining and frequently host dinners as fundraisers for local non-profits and charities
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This was a really great read, I am very glad I came across your site.
Very interesting, I will try the Salmon.
Hi Charles & Victor, nice job! I will definately try the Boxing Square Grilled Chicken…………. sounds like a lot of great spice and flavor!
Well, all I can say it it’s about time, my dears! Charles, I’m going to send this to every trainer I know who has ever enjoyed your cooking, as well as folks who, like me, continue to salivate at just the thought of some of the meals you’ve prepared for me/us over the last 25 years.
As for preparing the dishes, you know the limits of my abilities. However, my new hubby has untapped talent in the kitchen. Am I lucky or what?!
WOW, guys! Beautiful to look at and such fun to read! Can’t wait to do the Boxing Square Chicken! Happy late birthday to Vic!
Love you,
Barbara
I loved the blog. Full of great information and humor! I may get brave enough to try the Boxing Square Chicken
and I may even give parsnips another chance. Cooked with the pork and wine–sounds delicious!
Got any recipes for skate, guys?
It’s all I ever seem to catch out east here when I’ve spent the money for a group fishing trip. An American Sportsman I ain’t.
Great addition to the food blogging world!
And the headline! Magic …
Shop Boy – Know what you mean. When it comes to fishing, you drops your hook and you takes your chances. First catch for me from the surf was a 2+ foot brown eel with a Jurassic Park face and teeth to make you faint. We were actually going to bring it home and smoke him/her but the basket got permanently lodged in the rocks on the jetty. Had to sacrifice both to the Krakens.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Skate-Cooked-in-Clarified-Butter-with-a-Brunoise-of-Fruit-and-Vegetables-in-Vinegar-Sauce
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Warm-Skate-Salad-15209
Hey, sounds like you had a great trip on the sea and I know your feast was as
tasty as usual. Keep it up.
Thanks Elinor! We had Steve and Tina over last night for dinner. I got Tina to try mussels in black bean sauce! Plus a Thai chicken, lemongrass and galangal soup — Tom Kha Gai. Both Steve and Tina loved it! Can’t wait to you come up again next summer to cook for you guys.
Love, Vic