Hot-smoked salmon and watercress salad with crispy potatoes

The smoking of the salmon for this recipe is done using cedar planks over a gas, coal or wood-fired BBQ.

Credit: Petrina Tinslay

• serves

  8

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 4 cedar planks, for barbecuing
• 12 baby new potatoes
• olive oil
• salt flakes
• 8 salmon tail fillets
• olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch watercress
• 1 bunch dill
• 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed

Chardonnay and seeded mustard vinaigrette

• ½ cup chardonnay vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp seeded mustard
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to tast

Soaking time 2 hours

Instructions

Place the cedar planks in a container of cold water and weigh down to keep the planks under water, soak for a minimum of 2 hours, draining just before use.

Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil, once boiling cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft when tested. Drain and allow to cool until cold enough to handle.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the potatoes in half crossways and place cut side down on a lined oven tray. Squash the potatoes with the palm of your hand until 1 cm thick.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt flakes, bake for 30 minutes, turning over after 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Break the watercress in to sprigs and wash, chill until ready to serve.

Preheat BBQ to a medium heat. Place the salmon tails onto the cedar planks and rub with olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle over dill sprigs.

Place over the grill side of the BBQ and cover with the bbq lid or foil, cook for 10-15 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of the salmon pieces and the temperature of the BBQ.

Once the salmon has cooked, chargrill the asparagus spears for 2-3 minutes turning several times.

To make the chardonnay and seeded mustard vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine, use as required.

Arrange the watercress, crispy potatoes, asparagus and salmon on a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing.

Note

• You can buy Cedar planks designed especially for cooking on the BBQ and imparting a delicious and smoky flavour. Look for them in a good BBQ or kitchenware shop. BBQ over the grill side of a gas BBQ or over a wood or coal BBQ.

Photography by Petrina Tinslay, styling by David Morgan and art direction by Anne Marie Cummins.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.