grilled salmon & asparagus

One of my most favourite parts about summer is definitely getting together with family and/or friends for a BBQ.  I love the smell of charcoal in the air, being surround by the ones I love, and listening to everybody enjoying themselves in the warm summer air.

There are two things that I love grilled more than anything:  salmon and asparagus.

A couple of years ago Hubby made some BBQ salmon that was ah-mazing and I've been a little obsessed with it ever since.  The mixture of the soy sauce and the brown sugar give the salmon a sweet/salty coating, and iinside stays juicy and moist - purrfection (meow)!

The grilled asparagus is a beast all on it's own.  I love grilled asparagus so much that I often roast asparagus in the oven during the winter months to calm my grilled-asparagus cravings.  However, there is just no comparison to the sweet, almost nutty, taste that the asparagus develops when cooked on the grill.

GRILLED SALMON
from tinamenina at Allrecipies

2 good-sized fresh salmon fillets
lemon pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I've also used olive oil and it works good too)

Whisk together the soy sauce, water, and vegetable oil in a bowl.  Add the brown sugar and keep whisking until dissolved.  Don't worry if the brown sugar doesn't completely dissolve, just dissolve it as much as you can.  Set aside.

Unwrap the salmon fillets from the package and de-bone.  Season the salmon with lemon pepper, garlic, and salt.  Rub the seasonings into the salmon with your hands.  Set aside.

Go back to the soy mixture and give it one last, good whisk.  Transfer into a ziploc bag (large enough to fit both salmon fillets) and then pop the seasoned salmon into the bag.  Make sure that the salmon is coated. 

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, turning often.

When ready to grill, place the salmon on a well-oiled, medium-heat grill for 6 - 8 minutes per side (or until it flakes easily with a fork).  Instead of placing the salmon directly on the grill, you could also use a fish basket, or some aluminum foil - both would be great alternatives.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS

1 bunch of fresh asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse sea salt

Wash the asparagus and break at the "break point" (which should be where the woody end meets the more tender portion). Put the tender ends on a place and discard the woody ends. Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus and toss to coat. Season with salt. Place directly on the grill and cook until they are soft, but not mushy.

PS: To de-bone salmon, simply run your fingers along the flesh of the salmon and you will feel the bones. Pluck the bones out with a pair of tweezers and you're good to go. No worries if you don't get them all, just be careful when eating. Also, sometimes I get fillets home and discover NO BONES - bonus :)

PPS:  I apologize for not having any pictures of the food, but I didn't have the camera with me when I made these last time - I'll post some pictures once I've made them again, promise!