Vinny on the TV, Dinner on the Grill (Rosemary/Garlic/Lemon Rubbed Salmon)

Among the things I will miss about California: Dodger games called by Vince Scully. We listened to him earlier this week as Steve grilled salmon that I served with a light sauté of summer veg.

With Vinny in the background and the smell and sounds of the grill, I felt like I was back home in Whittier. Vinny can call an entire game and never use the words “me” or “I.” Those goofballs who call the Angel games should take a lesson. Don’t get me started… but back to the grill…

Until the Webber BBQ came on the scene my father went through more hibachis than most people have in a lifetime. He literally burnt them out. I can still see him crouched down cooking dinner on his little cast iron hibachi next to the ubiquitous Southern California dwarf lemon tree and box garden of parsley and chives. Later the Webber Kettle BBQ came along and he got to grill standing up. No wonder he was among the first to have one!

Rain or shine. Daddy would cook prime Manning’s Beef steaks; succulent lamb skewers from our Armenian butchers, Souren and Voc; and fresh sea fish that he caught with his buddies in the deep Pacific waters off of Oceanside. I don’t remember anything every being over-cooked or over-thought. Everything was simply done and delicious.

While more bass and albacore graced the Billings family grill, I sure we had salmon now and then. The following recipe is my favorite preparation on this tasty fish. With a hint of lemon, rosemary and garlic it is a perfect light summer meal. If salmon is not your deal, this same preparation is also excellent on other fish, as well as chicken and pork.

Rosemary/Garlic/Lemon Rubbed Salmon

Measurements are sketchy on this one. Sorry, that’s just the way it is…

For each two-person portion of salmon, with skin on:

Prep the Rub:

Combine and chop up together so that the mixture is REALLY fine:

• Zest of one lemon
• 1 clove of garlic, minced REALLY fine
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped REALLY fine (do you see a trend here?)

Prep the Fish

• Put about a teaspoon of olive oil on a plate, put the fish skin side down on the plate and wiggle it around to lightly coat the skin.
• Sprinkle the fish with a pinch or so of kosher salt
• Pat the lemon zest/garlic/rosemary seasoning mixture into the flesh side of the fish.
• Pour about a tsp or two of olive oil into the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. Now pat down the fish so that the seasoning mixture is lightly coated with the oil.

Now to the grill!

• Heat your grill on medium high
• Cook the fish skin side first, lid closed for 7 minutes
• Flip the fish
• Cook flesh side down for 5 minutes or until cooked to the way you like it. We err on the side of underdone. It will continue to cook on the plate (as my father used to say).

Remove the fish, allow to rest for 5 minutes or so and serve.

Enjoy!