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Post 1609: Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Cooked on the Grill

Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Cooked on the Grill

Grilling season is here. Blah blah blah. You should try these Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Skewers. They’re brushed with a sweet maple glaze and served with a side dish of golden beets and their greens. Blah blah blah. Bacon adds flavor. Blah blah blah. Besides, Bacon-Wrapped Salmon is far less likely to dry out when cooked over live fire. Blah blah blah. Salmon should be served pink in the center. Blah blah blah. Use an Insta-read thermometer so you don’t overcook the fish. I like to aim for an interior temperature of 120 to 125 degrees F. Blah blah blah. Of course, you should use the very best sustainable wild salmon you can find. Blah blah BLOG!

When it comes to blogging I often feel like it’s all been said before. No matter how passionate I feel about a subject, no matter how many clever words I use– sometimes all I can hear in my head is blah blah blah.

That’s probably because I’ve been pecking at this keyboard for 3157 days now. That’s 1609 posts over almost 9 years– or an average of one post every 47 hours.

However, don’t assume you hear violins playing my swan song. I’m not going to say I’m burned out, or threaten to quit blogging or make any kind of dramatic definitive statement. As long as there’s food on my table and words in my mouth I’ll probably keep blogging. This post is nothing more than my attempt to quiet the blahs.

I should have seen the signs of my mood coming when I chose salmon for this post. I love salmon. But let’s face it, salmon is hardly a stretch for most competent cooks. Salmon is often seen as a dull and predictable fish choice. In fact, there are more than thirty recipes for salmon on my blog alone. But the amazing thing is not one of those recipes is Bacon-Wrapped Salmon.

Which means after 8 years, 7 months, and 23 days into this blogging project I guess I’ve still got something left to say! Even if today it’s just these three dull words: blah blah blah. GREG

Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Cooked on the Grill

Maple Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Skewers with Beets and Greens 

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Maple Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Salmon Skewers with Beets and Greens

Ingredients

  • 1 pound golden beets, with fresh greens intact (about five 2 ½‑inch beets weighed without their greens)
  • 3 clove garlic (peeled)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup water
  • olive oil (as needed)
  • kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (as needed)
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 bunch green onions (about 6 ounces), both white and green parts cut into 2‑inch pieces
  • 4–5 tablespoon maple syrup (divided)
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 ½ pound skinless king, coho or sockeye salmon (pin bones removed, cut into twelve to sixteen 1 ½‑inch pieces)
  • 12–16 slice bacon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash the beets and their greens well then remove the greens and stems; set them aside. 

Arrange the beets on a roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer and add the garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaf, and water. Drizzle the mixture with ¼ cup olive oil and season generously with salt and black pepper. Cover tightly with foil and bake up to 1 hour, or until the beets are tender (start checking at 40 minutes); transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool somewhat; discard the liquid and aromatics. 

While still somewhat warm peel and trim the beets and slice them into ½‑inch thick rounds. Then cut the rounds into ½‑inch dice. Drizzle beets with white wine vinegar and a little olive oil, tossing to coat. Set aside.

Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet with a lid set over medium heat. 

Slice the beet greens and stems crosswise into 1‑inch ribbons. Add them, along with the green onions, to the large skillet with the warmed oil. Lower the heat and cover the skillet. Cook stirring occasionally until the beet stems are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size and age of the greens.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons maple syrup, diced beets, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Meanwhile, heat a grill or stovetop grill pan to medium heat. Soak four 8 to 10-inch bamboo skewers in water.

In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil with salmon. Toss to coat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and black pepper. Working with one piece at a time, wrap one bacon slice once or twice around each piece of salmon. Thread bacon-wrapped salmon pieces one at a time onto a skewer. Take care to secure the bacon in place with the skewer. Continue threading the bacon-wrapped salmon pieces 3 or 4 to a skewer leaving a small gap between reach piece.

Brush grill grate with olive oil. Brush each kabob with some of the remaining maple syrup on both sides. Place kebabs on grate and grill until the bacon crisps on the bottom. Brush more maple syrup on top, and then flip the kabobs over. Brush the other side with maple syrup and continue grilling until an instant-read thermometer reads 120–125°F for medium rare.

Serve immediately with warm beet greens.

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