Nicoise Salad with Cedar-Plank Grilled Salmon and Kalamata Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, minced
1 ½tsp. chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds salmon filets, sliced into serving size portions

1. Soak the cedar planks in water to cover for for at least 4 hours. Drain the planks. (I used a small cooler to soak my planks.)

2. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, thyme, sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbs. pepper. Rub the mixture together with your fingers until the zest is distributed throughout. Rub the salmon fillets on both sides with the olive oil and then set each fillet skin side down on a plank. Sprinkle the fillets with the lemon-pepper mixture, dividing it evenly. Gently rub the seasoning into the fillets. Let stand at room temperature while the grill heats.

3. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill fire for indirect cooking with high heat: On a gas grill, heat all burners on high; then turn off all but one burner* just before cooking the salmon; on a charcoal grill, bank the coals to two opposite sides of the grill. Arrange the planks over the cooler part of the grill, positioning them so that the thickest part of the fish is closest to the heat source. Cover the grill and cook until the thickest part of each fillet registers about 135°F on an instant-read thermometer, 20 to 35 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. The planks may smoke a bit (this is fine) and will become very aromatic. Let the fillets rest on the planks for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

*These are the directions from Fine Cooking. Our grill wasn't hot enough once we turned two of the burners off so we ended up having better results with one burner left on high and the other two on low heat setting.

Salmon Niçoise Salad with Kalamata Vinaigrette

¼ cup pitted and minced Kalamata olives
1 cup House Dressing (aka Greek Dressing)
¾ lb. baby red potatoes (each about 1-½ inches in diameter), cut into quarters
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-½-inch lengths
½ lb. cherry or grape tomatoes (preferably mixed colors), halved
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
½ medium seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped; about 1 lb), halved and slice about ¼ inch thick
2 cups baby arugula
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ lb. Cedar-Planked Salmon , in 4 serving size pieces

1. Combine the Greek Dressing with the Kalamata olives.

2. Put the potatoes in a 4-quart saucepan, cover with 2 quarts water, add 1 Tbs. salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently until the potatoes are just tender when poked with a skewer, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl (save the cooking liquid).

3. Whisk the vinaigrette to recombine, drizzle 2 Tbs. of it over the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

4. Bring the water in the saucepan back to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. Drop the green beans into the boiling water and cook until bright green and no longer raw but still very crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and plunge them into the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and spread the beans on a clean dishtowel to dry.

5. When the potatoes have cooled, add the green beans, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and 2-3 Tbs. of the vinaigrette and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the arugula and toss gently. Transfer to a platter and top with the salmon. Drizzle with a bit more dressing, to taste, serve and enjoy!

Serves 4

Adapted from Fine Cooking