Name: Grilled Salmon with Meyer Lemons and Creamy Cucumber Salad
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 (6-ounce) skin-on wild-caught salmon fillets; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling; 1 tablespoon grated Meyer or regular lemon zest; Juice of 2 Meyer lemons (see head note) or regular lemons, plus 1 or 2 Meyer or regular lemons, sliced into 8 thin rounds; 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill; 1 tablespoon pink or regular sea salt; 1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 tablespoon fresh Meyer or regular lemon juice, or to taste; 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 English cucumbers, peeled in stripes, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch dice; 1 tablespoon minced chives

Three grilled salmon filets on a plate covered in meyer lemon wheels next to a dish of cucumber salad.

Photo by Amy Neunsinger

My family really loves both meat and poultry, but I do serve them fish occasionally as a healthy alternative, and this is one of our favorites. This method is easy and foolproof and it brings out the savory sweetness of salmon. You can use regular lemons here, but if you can find Meyer lemons when they're in season (usually from winter into early spring) it's definitely worth it to pick up a few. Generally smaller and more deeply colored than regular lemons, Meyer lemons' juice is more sweet than acidic, like a cross between a lemon and an orange. Even their zest is distinct—flowery more than citrusy—and they work so perfectly here.

Recipe information

Total Time
30 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

Salmon:

4 (6-ounce) skin-on wild-caught salmon fillets

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling

1 tablespoon grated Meyer or regular lemon zest

Juice of 2 Meyer lemons (see head note) or regular lemons, plus 1 or 2 Meyer or regular lemons, sliced into 8 thin rounds

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

1 tablespoon pink or regular sea salt

Creamy Cucumber Salad:

1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh Meyer or regular lemon juice, or to taste

1 teaspoon minced fresh dill

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 English cucumbers, peeled in stripes, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

Garnish:

1 tablespoon minced chives

Preparation

To prepare the salmon:
Step 1
To prepare the salmon: Brush the skin side of the salmon fillets with some olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, and salt. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and place the fillets skin side up in the dish. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the creamy cucumber salad: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Fold in the cucumber until completely coated. Taste and adjust the lemon juice or salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 2 hours.
Step 3
Prepare a medium-hot grill. Lightly oil the grill grate.
Step 4
Place the fillets skin side down on the grill and brush them with the marinade. Cover the grill and cook without flipping until the salmon flakes, 10 to 12 minutes. Brush the lemon slices on both sides with oil and grill until marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Step 5
Arrange the fish on individual plates or a serving platter. Place 1 or 2 grilled lemon slices on top of each fillet and dust with chives. Serve with the cucumber salad.
Step 6
Store leftover salmon and cucumber salad in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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From Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering © 2018 by Joanna Gaines. Published by William Morrow Cookbooks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.

TagsSalmon Fish Seafood Lemon Citrus Fruit Cucumber Vegetable Main Lunch Dinner Nut Free Gluten Free Grilling Spring Winter Cookbooks Harper Collins

Recipe notes

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