Texpat’s Arabic Grilled Salmon Filet
You will need two large grill type spatulas to flip the fish on the grill.
Ingredients:
Salmon filet – 2.5 to 3.0 lb – skinned on both sides (anything larger than 3 lbs is too big to flip over)
Olive oil
Garlic – 6 cloves crushed
Paprika 1 T. + 1 tsp. (I use half-sharp Hungarian, not the sweet)
Cumin – 1 T. + 1 tsp.
Coriander – 1 T. + 1 tsp.
Black Pepper – 2 tsp.
Kosher Salt – 1 tsp. plus a pinch
Rinse the filet off and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the filet out on a big cutting board and crush 3 garlic cloves on the fish and massage it into the filet. Turn the filet over and repeat on the other side with 3 garlic cloves. Thoroughly mix coriander, cumin, paprika, pepper and salt in a small bowl. Use half of the spice mix to sprinkle over entire side of filet. Drizzle olive oil over the spices until there is enough to create a paste. Spread evenly over filet with fingers. Carefully turn filet over and repeat with spices and oil on the other side so the fish is smeared completely with the spices. Let it marinate for about an hour or so to make sure the filet is at room temperature.
Turn the grill burners on high and slide the filet onto the grill. Let it cook on high until it starts to get a little crispy. Use both spatulas to slide under the filet and carefully lift and flip the fish over. Cut the heat down to about 60% and let it cook until done. This is not your typical wet, semi-raw salmon recipe. It should a a little crispy on both sides and then slide it onto a platter with both spatulas again.
Optional Tapenade:
I don’t have exact amounts for this, but I chop up about ½ cup of cilantro, 3 different kinds of pitted olives (example: Kalamata, Spanish, Black, etc. whatever is available), ¼ cup chopped green onions, salt, pepper, a little olive oil. You can spread this on top of the fish or do without.
We eat the fish, with or without the tapenade, and save the leftover to crumble over salad the next day.
Sounds delish.