Teppo Loikannen is an avid outdoorsman in the Arctic of Finland, having been attracted to this as a scout. He gave me this recipe for baking grayling, an Arctic fish that is a cross between salmon and trout. I modified it a bit and took it on Troop 237's 1999 Alaska trek. We had our Dutch oven and would be salmon fishing in Valdez on August 10. Alas, we were caught between the runs of Pinks and Silvers and blanked. By good fortune I bought three Sockeyes fresh off a boat [but I told the scouts I had got lucky and caught them]. It was no more than an hour from salmon-in-the-ocean to salmon-in-the-oven. I've never had so many raves over a d.o. meal, especially from dubious fish-eaters and frustrated anglers. Here is our Best of Alaska recipe, with thanks to Teppo.
-Ganko
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb salmon fillet per person, preferably fresh Pacific Sockeye or Atlantic; de-boned. [If you have to go canned, buy Sockeye; its worth the price.]
- Salt
- Lemon pepper
- Italian seasoning [Spice from a jar, not a packaged salad dressing.]
- Lemon juice
- Onions: 2 med. for 6; 2 large for 8. Peeled and diced
- 3 oz pkg. cream cheese [for 5; increase proportionately for more]
- Parmesan cheese
- [optional] 2 cups mushrooms, chopped finely
- 2 - 3 tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 4lb bag instant charcoal briquettes
Directions:Fire up the briquettes.
Sauté the onions [and mushrooms?] until limp
Poke numerous holes in the non-skin side of each fillet with a fork. [Helps the spices absorb.]
Now "rub in" each fillet with salt, then lemon pepper, then Italian seasoning. Then spread cream cheese equally across all filets.
Oil the Dutch oven.
Now place three or four filets in the bottom, skin down, with no overlaps. Then dash each liberally with lemon juice [but not so much the spices drain off!] Spread onions [and mushrooms]. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over.
Now take the remaining filets and layer on top, repeating the same applications. You might need a third layer. Top off with Parmesan.
Place Dutch oven over 5 or 6 hot briquettes; load about 25 on top.
Bake for maybe 30 minutes, but check in 20. Done when salmon is done. Don't over-bake; you want salmon juicy not dry.
Serve With:A 24 oz bag of packaged salad, plus a small bottle of dressing.
OR Some canned or frozen vegetables, like peas or spinach.
Some French bread, buttered and warmed in aluminum foil.
HINT: Save some prep time in camp. Sauté the onions at home in advance, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them. Then when you leave for the outing take them out of the freezer and wrap in newspaper. ISSUE: How do you keep fresh salmon until cooking time? You can freeze it but that ruins the taste. For up to 6 to 8 hours put the refrigerated salmon in a zip lock bag and wrap in newspapers along with one or two "blue ice" blocks. Or, put in a small cooler, also with blue ice.