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3 pounds salmon fillets
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon chile sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 lime, zested
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 green onions, chopped

1) In a bowl, stir together soy sauce, chile sauce, ginger, and garlic. Mix in lime juice, lime zest, and brown sugar. Spoon sauce over the salmon and marinate in fridge for 1-3 hours.

2) Preheat grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle with green onions.

One of the joys of living here is Seattle is the great seafood we have access to on a daily basis. Copper River Sockeye is now available and the fish are wonderful. We have our sockeye flown down to our supplier as soon as they hit the docks in SE Alaska. The fish are then hand selected, processed for us and shipped out to our facility the next day. The only way to get any fresher salmon is to catch it yourself.

Over the weekend I grilled some sockeye using a very simple technique. We had baked red garnet yams with our meal so I started by placing the yams on the upper rack of my grill and turning the burners on high. After 15 minutes I turned the yams and let cook another 15 minutes. I then turned the yams one more time for even cooking. I then minced four cloves of garlic and placed in a Pyrex dish, added about one third of a stick of butter, one eighth to one quarter a teaspoon of ground chipotle pepper ( amounts depends on how spicy you like your salmon), the juice from one quarter of a fresh lemon and micro waved for two 30 second blasts. I then let the butter mixture rest for five to ten minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. I then placed the salmon skin side down on a sheet of foil and basted with the melted butter. I then thinly sliced four slices of lemon and placed them on the salmon fillet. Place the sheet of foil with the salmon on it over the hot grill for five minutes. At the same time place a loaf of sourdough bread on the upper rack. After five minutes turn the heat off and let the salmon finish cooking for another five to seven minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. When salmon is at desired doneness remove from foil sheet by placing spatula between the skin and meat and scooping the fillet up and onto a plate. We enjoyed our salmon dinner with a bottle of White Knight Viognier and Earthbound Farm Organic Greens and Herb salad mix.

Copper River Salmon hit the Seattle market last Friday! We've already gotten out first shipment and are expecting a second on late Tuesday or early Wednesday. These fish swim fast. If you we're out of stock, just click "Notify Me," and we'll send you an email as soon as they come back in stock again.

The following is an excerpt from the Alaska State Fishery Department:

2009 Prince William Sound Salmon Fishery News Release #2
Prince William Sound and Copper River Announcement
Districts Affected: Copper River, Southwestern, Montague

COPPER RIVER DISTRICT: The Copper River District will open at 7:00 am on Monday, May 18 for a 12-hour period. Waters inside of the barrier islands to the markers that are approximately two miles seaward of the grass banks will be open during this period. The Miles Lake sonar will be active as soon as river conditions permit. Permit holders are advised that unscheduled announcements based on current escapement data may occur at any time inseason either establishing an additional period or extending an open period. Harvest from the May 14 opening is estimated at 20,216 sockeye and 1,549 Chinook salmon. This compares to an anticipated harvest of 9,386 sockeye and 2,856 Chinook salmon as based on a preseason forecast of 509,584 sockeye and 30,725 Chinook salmon.


Here are some FAQ's on Wild Salmon:

How many species of Wild Salmon are there?

There are five species of Wild Pacific Salmon:

King (also known as Chinook)
Sockeye (also known as Blueback or Red)
Silver (also known as Coho or Hooknose)
Chum (also known as Fall, Dog, Silverbrite, Keta or Calico)
Pink (also known as Humpies or Humpbacks)

What is the life cycle of Wild Salmon?

Alaska Salmon spawn in over 2,000 freshwater rivers and lakes across the state then migrate thousands of miles out into the ocean through the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. A few years later after maturing, they return to their place of birth upstream. The average life span of the Alaskan Salmon is 4-5 years, and includes only one spawning cycle.

What about wild vs. farm-raised salmon?

Wild Alaska Salmon are anadromous, which means they spawn in fresh water, migrate to the sea to mature and then return. Their rigorous swimming and diet of natural sea organisms give Alaskan Salmon their unique deep color, flavor and texture.

Farm-raised salmon are raised and harvested similar to any domesticated livestock. The quality of the fish will depend on its habitat and the quality of care provided by the growers. There are concerns that some salmon growers may use artificial food additives and antibiotics in their harvesting. While the fish are more uniform in size there is a distinct difference in their health value due to their diet and stagnant life cycle.


Read more:
Wild Salmon Center.org
Alaska Department of Fish & Game: Salmon Updates

Simple Grilled Salmon:

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
lemon pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh, chopped garlic
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water

1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, stir together garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and olive oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. Preheat grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

White Wine Marinated Wild Salmon

4 lbs Copper River salmon
1/2-1 cup butter
salt & pepper to taste
white wine
1 cup chopped onion
2 heads garlic

1. Chop garlic and onion coarsely.
2. Melt butter Rub salmon with butter and then salt well (salt makes things taste good).
3. Sprinkle with pepper and marinate salmon in onions, garlic, melted butter and wine for at least an hour (as usual, the longer the better).
4. Grill until done and serve immediately (remember it's about 10 minutes an inch, but that assumes a 400 degree grill, so adjust accordingly).

Cedar Plank Salmon:

cedar grilling plank
6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
1 lemon, sliced
1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed

1. Submerge untreated cedar plank in water. Soak approximately 12 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Place prepared plank on the grill, and sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover grill and heat plank 2 to 3 minutes, until dry.
3. Adjust grill temperature for medium heat.Rub salmon filets with olive oil. Arrange on the plank. Top salmon with red onion, lemon slices and black peppercorns.
4. Cook salmon, covered, 10 to 12 minutes, or until opaque and easily flaked with a fork.

What to look for:

Fresh salmon steaks and fillets should be firm with a deep orange color. Look for the somewhat translucent sheen. Smooth texture indicates freshness.

Storage and food safety:

--Keep salmon refrigerated until ready to cook.
--Avoid cross-contamination by washing cutting boards and counter with hot soapy water after handling raw salmon.
--Wash hands thoroughly with hot water and soap before and after handling raw salmon.
--Discard any marinade used for marinating salmon before grilling or broiling.
--Promptly refrigerate any leftover cooked salmon; use within two days.


Cooking Methods:

Leave the skin on when pan-searing, grilling, etc. It will help keep the flesh intact and prevent curling.

Pan-searing:

Pan-searing puts a great seal on the salmon, keeping moisture locked in. Heat heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat in olive oil. Add salmon skin side up and cook until done, turning once.

Grilling:

Use the indirect grilling method with a medium hot grill, 3 to 4 inches from heat. Oil the grill and salmon on both sides to prevent sticking.Place salmon skin side up directly on the grill grate. Grill for a total of 4-6 minutes (2-3 minutes per side) per 1/2 inch thickness, turning only once.

Broiling:

Preheat oven and broiling pan at least 10 minutes beforehand. Quickly wash your fillets or steaks in cold salt water. Oil broiler pan with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Place salmon, skin side up, on oiled pan. Broil 4-6 inches from heat for 7 minutes. Turn salmon and broil an additional 6-8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.