Planked Akaroa Salmon with Celeriac and Beetroot Remoulade & Sorrel Aioli
Serves 4
Prep: 25 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
By Nik Mavromatis
I learnt how to cook this in USA at the restaurant Woodfire Grill in Atlanta – where we literally cooked everything using the wood fired pizza oven and wood grill. The moment a waiter carried the salmon through the restaurant—plank still gently smoking—every head would turn. Next thing you knew, we’d have 20 more orders rolling in. So, if you’ve never heard of planking salmon, you’re not alone—but trust us, it’s a showstopper.
Usually, we served these when King Salmon were running at height of the American summer - with a heirloom tomato panzanella salad and salsa Verde, but here I thought something easily prepped beforehand and a little more autumnal might be the go. I’ve done this as a whole fillet on a BBQ for a centrepiece at Christmas - it’s a low hassle way to serve for a dinner party and always wows!
You’ll need either a lidded BBQ or a pizza oven to put the plank in to get enough direct heat to just catch the edge of the plank to infuse the salmon with rich smoky flavours but no flames!
Ingredients:
• 4 x 150g fresh Akaroa King salmon portions – pin boned
• 4 x planks of untreated wood suitable for smoking – I used Cherry wood but cedar planks or manuka splits also fine – ensure you soak this overnight
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
Celeriac and Beetroot Remoulade:
• 1 med or ½ whole celeriac (about 300g), peeled
• 2 red beetroots peeled
• 1 Granny Smith
• Juice of half a lemon (save for zest too)
Remoulade Dressing:
• 200g crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp Robinsons Bay extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp French Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp Mandy’s horseradish sauce
• Zest and remaining juice of lemon above
• A small handful of fresh tarragon
• 1 tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped
For the Sorrel Aioli
Get some aioli – if you make your own do so, or just get some mayo and garlic, blitz in with some fresh sorrel leaves you’ve picked (if larger remove the stem)
Method:
1. Prep the veg: Using a julienne peeler or a sharp knife, cut the celeriac and beetroot into matchsticks. Place them in a bowl of water with half the lemon juice to keep them crisp and vibrant. Set the remaining juice and zest aside for the dressing.
2. Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, olive oil, mustard, horseradish, and herbs. Grate in the zest and juice of the lemon . Season well—it should be punchy to balance the earthy veg and rich salmon.
3. Planking: Dry off your plank and heat up your grill or pizza oven. Simply put salmon skin side down on plank, lightly season, rub with olive oil and put in on medium heat. Should take about 15 mins but check every 5 to see how it’s rocking. You’re looking to get the wood to just catch and start to give that smoky flavour – if the wood catches fire, don’t panic - just put it out with a little water, as open flame here will ruin the flavour.
4. Assemble the dish: While your salmon is cooking, drain the vege, pat them dry, and place in a large bowl. Coarsely grate in the apple, toss with the dressing, and stir in the capers. Season.
5. To serve: Get a great big platter or chopping board and serve plank on this with side of remoulade and great spoonfuls of sorrel aioli with Black Estate Pet Nat and enjoy!
