Grilled Cedar Plank Salmon

Preparation : I tried this recipe last weekend, and it was amazing. This is a variant of a signature dish of Emeril Lagasse (of the TVFN fame). The original recipe used horseradish and trout instead of ginger and salmon. I had a hard time finding thin cedar planks (shingles) sold singly in the local hardware store, they seemed to only sell them in bunches of 40. I did however find untreated cedar shims that I was able to make do with. So anyway, here's what you do. Preheat your grill and oil up one side of the cedar with your olive oil. Sprinkle a bit of the Cajun seasoning on the plank, and lay the filet of salmon on top. Season the filet with salt, pepper, and the spice mix. Cover the filet completely with the ginger and zest -- this adds flavor and helps the fish retain all of its moisture. Put the whole thing directly on the grill over the coals (cedar plank side down), close the lid, and stand back! The thing will smoke like crazy for a while. Check on the salmon after 15 minutes. If the plank catches on fire before the salmon is done, simply spray it with some water (I had to do this a couple times). When the salmon is done, you can either serve the whole thing with the cedar flaming around the edges, or remove it from the cedar plank and serve. You may wish to remove most of the crushed ginger topping as it is a bit overpowering. A nice sauce to accompany this can be made with soy sauce, green onions, and sesame oil. I don't know the measurements, I just winged i