Grilled Rosemary Lemon Salmon

I'm so fortunate to have a huge lemon tree in my backyard. It's usually loaded with lemons that are somehow sweet and tangy at the same time. I use lemons throughout the year in lots of meals, and today's salmon dish is no exception.

This is a simple recipe, and I like it best when I'm able to use all fresh ingredients. Regardless of how fresh the lemon or the rosemary, do make sure the salmon is the freshest available. I'm a diehard advocate of wildcaught Pacific salmon. This is surely a result of the time I spent living in Bellingham, Washington, where fishmongers advertise the name of the river and the catch date when they're selling fresh fish. My personal favourite is Copper River salmon, which I can get here in California, if I'm willing to pay the price! However, the people behind the fish counter here have no idea who caught the fish, nor the date of the catch.


Ingredients:

1 lb salmon fillet
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

Preheat your grill. Tear a piece of aluminum foil several inches larger than the salmon. Season the flesh side of the salmon with the rosemay and the lemon juice. Lay the salmon fillet, flesh side down on the foil. Cook approximately 4 minutes, turn the fillet over and cook an additional 4 minutes. Test for doneness. When done, the fish will break apart easily. Continue cooking until done, testing every 2 minutes or so. Salmon varies in thickness, so the time will vary accordingly. Be careful not to overcook, fresh caught Pacific salmon will remain bright pink inside.

Add lemon wedges when served. Serves 4.

Note. This dish may also be cooked in the oven. Just preheat the broiler, and cook as directed. The cook time will be similar.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to be beneficial in protecting against heart disease and Alzheimer's. Another reason to buy wild salmon versus farmed salmon is the health benefit. The FDA has released statistics that show that the nutritional values of wild salmon beat out farmed salmon any day. According to their statistics, wild salmon has 20% more protein and 20% less fat than farmed salmon.