Prepare to be wowed! This salmon recipe is an absolute crowd-pleaser with its mouthwatering blend of za’atar and honey. It’s simple, stunning, and guaranteed to win hearts. Get ready for a culinary adventure that will leave everyone asking for seconds!
Za’atar is what makes this recipe so delicious! What is za’atar? It is a blend of spices and seeds from the Middle East. My favourite is Lebanese za’atar. It is a blend of thyme, sumac, sesame, salt and cumin. You can make your own or simply get some at the grocery store.
Notes on Grilling Fish
While cooking, a side of salmon can seem a bit daunting at the outset, rest assured it is as straightforward as cooking a single portion. The secret to tender salmon is cooking it at a high temperature. I typically look to cook salmon at temperatures in the 400°F to 425°F range.
HOW TO COOK WITH INDIRECT HEAT ON YOUR BARBECUE: Cooking with indirect heat on an outdoor grill is essentially using your grill as an oven. Indirect heat is lower and slower than cooking directly over an open flame. Using indirect heat is the optimal way to prepare a whole chicken, a full side of salmon, or even my Mango-Cherry Cast-Iron Cobbler.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR GRILL FOR INDIRECT COOKING GAS GRILL: Turn on half of the burners; one half of the grill will have no flame and the other side will. Close the lid and preheat the grill for 10 to 15 minutes to the desired temperature. Pop your ingredients on the unlit side of the grill, lower the lid, and allow the ingredients to cook.
CHARCOAL GRILL: Scoot the hot coals to one side of the grill. The side with no charcoal is where you’ll be cooking the ingredients indirectly. When you are ready to cook, follow the same method as with the gas grill.
This recipe serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
1 side of salmon, skin on and scaled
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Zest and juice of 2 lemons + lemon wedges, for garnish
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp honey
3 to 4 tbsp za’atar spice mix
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (I like a combination of parsley, mint and chives)
1⁄2 cup turnip pickles
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F or grill using the indirect-heat cooking method.
Place salmon, skin side down, on baking sheet or soaked cedar plank. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon zest, then gently rub to evenly distribute seasoning. Drizzle lemon juice, oil and honey overtop and repeat rubbing process, then liberally and evenly sprinkle za’atar all over flesh side of salmon.
Place in oven or on grill, lid closed, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or to your preferred doneness.
Finish with squeeze of lemon juice and garnish with herbs and turnip pickles.
Enjoy!
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Chef ILona Daniel is Harrowsmith's Food Editor and the founder of Tribe Fresh Events and Consulting, a purpose-driven insights consultancy accelerated by modern approaches to the hospitality industry, immersive experiences, and community and culture development. She has worked on projects around the world and is on the Board of Directors for the Tourism Association of PEI. Chef Ilona is a media personality, and a Culinary Instructor at the Culinary Institute of Canada.
