Grilled salmon wrapped in lemon and bay leaves

This was an exciting main course that we served on Saturday, June 27, for Ryan’s birthday. Chris was in town, too. This is part of the fantastic Sonoma Summer menu from Bon Appetit, July 2008 issue. It was beautiful and aromatic, to say the least. It grilled nicely in a wire-spring type grill basket.

In fact, if you’ve got a flexible/expandable grill basket like we used (like this one at Williams-Sonoma, though we found ours for $10, not $30), you don’t even need kitchen twine to tie it up. Altogether, this is a whole lot easier than the results look—especially if you have a mandoline (a purchase you’ll find we make quite frequently, which is an indication how often it’s really really useful!) to make quick work of the lemon slicing.

Serves 8.

INGREDIENTS

4 ¾-ounce packages fresh bay leaves, divided 6 to 7 lemons, very thinly sliced into rounds, divided 1 3-pound center-cut salmon fillet with skin Coarse kosher salt Olive oil (for drizzling)

Special equipment: kitchen string Large fish-grilling basket or, better, a large (16" by 24") flexible/expandable grilling basket a mandoline helps!

DIRECTIONS

Arrange eight 24-inch-long pieces of kitchen string, side by side and 1½ inches apart, on surface. Overlap bay leaves atop strings in rectangle about same size as fish. Top bay leaves with overlapping rows of lemon slices. Sprinkle fish skin with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; place fish, skin side down, on lemon slices. Sprinkle fish flesh with coarse salt and pepper; drizzle with olive oil. Top with overlapping rows of lemon slices, then bay leaves. Tightly tie strings, securing lemon slices and bay leaves to fish. Place fish packet in grilling basket; close basket (basket does not have to close completely in order to support fish).

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Chill salmon in basket. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill fish in basket until just firm to touch and thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 135°F, holding basket sides together to turn fish, about 20 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter, with string knots up. Remove strings, bay leaves, and lemons from top side. Drizzle with oil and serve.