Grill/Barbecue

Corn Husk-Smoked Salmon with Grilled Corn Salsa

by:
June 24, 2016
4
3 Ratings
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

It's summertime, which means All The Things are grilled, lotsa smoke involved, corn and tomatoes everywhere, and chilled rosé. I decided to try using the corn husks for smoking this salmon and it worked perfectly—the smoke is sweet and subtle and to be perfectly honest it smells a little like pot when it hits the grill, so the neighbors might peek over the fence when you make this. —aargersi

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Aargersi lives and cooks many a wonderful thing in Austin, Texas. (She's a four-time contest winner!)
WHAT: Salmon sweetly quick-smoked with corn husks and served over a bright salsa of tomatoes and grilled corn.
HOW: Shuck corn and save the husks, then soak them (and marinate salmon) while the corn grills. Combine the grilled corn with tomatoes and jalapeño for a quick salsa, then grill the soaked corn husks and the salmon together, quick-smoking the fish. Serve over the salsa.
WHY WE LOVE IT: A salsa that hits all the right notes (fresh! smoky! spicy! sharp! sweet!), two ways to use corn (the kernels and the husks), a smart trick for separating the salmon from its skin, and a summery-as-it-gets meal: We're all about it. The smokiness that the corn husks give the fish is subtle, but sweet—and the perfect match for the salsa. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 1 pound skin-on salmon fillet
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (1/2 a large lemon)
  • 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
  • 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ear of corn
  • 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup chopped green onion
  • 1/2 minced jalapeño (mine was large and only medium hot—adjust this according to your heat tolerance and love)
  • 8 large basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (1/2 a large lime)
  • 1 inch knob of ginger
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
Directions
  1. Get your grill hot. Shuck the corn and soak the husk and silk in water. Grill the corn untiil it's a bit charred all over and then let it cool a bit.
  2. Mix together the lemon juice, marmalade, tamari, and pepper. Construct a leak-proof foil pan out of heavy duty foil and lay the salmon in it, skin side down. Spoon the marinade over the top and put it in the fridge while you make the salsa.
  3. Cut the corn from the cob and put it in a bowl. Add the tomato, green onion, salt, and lime. Peel the ginger and grate it into the bowl. Seed and finely chop the jalapeño, and add that too. Roll the basil into a burrito and chop it, add that, stir, and then put the salsa into the fridge while you cook the fish.
  4. Put the soaked corn husk on the hottest part of your grill, and then put the salmon, still in its foil pan, on the grill as well. Spoon the marinade back over the top and then close the lid. The husks should start smoking pretty quickly. Allow the salmon to smoke and cook until it's cooked through—about 10 minutes on a hot grill, but just peek inside the fillet to check as grill temps vary.
  5. Spoon half the salsa onto 2 plates, then use a spatula to scoop the salmon off of the skin (which will have conveniently stuck to the foil) and place it atop the salsa. Top with the remaining salsa, pour a glass of wine, and eat summer.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: aargersi

Country living, garden to table cooking, recent beek, rescue all of the dogs, #adoptdontshop

16 Reviews

Helene August 29, 2024
Love the salsa though I added a lot more corn and tomatoes and it became more of a side dish. The salmon was relatively flavorless though I followed the directions to a “T”. And the corn husks on the grill did not add any flavor to the salmon. But very healthy meal.
David B. September 4, 2016
This was fantastic. Great use of end of season corn. This instantly became one of my favorite salmon dishes.
creamtea July 28, 2016
Congratulations! This sounds delicious, and I like the seasoning idea with ginger and basil. No grill, alas, but I may be able to do an oven version (sans smoke).
Super congrats on the win! I'm always looking for new ways to cook the next salmon I plan on catching in Oregon (which by the way pot is legal here for recreational use so no nosy neighbors, lol!) I will definitely make this when the salmon start running.
aargersi July 28, 2016
OMG maybe you should create the next edible sensation - pot smoked salmon??? HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
JanetFL July 22, 2016
Congratulations - this sounds fantastic! And I like that the odor might attract some attention?!
Annie S. July 20, 2016
Congratulations! This is such a wonderful dish. I almost signed up to test it but I ran out of time. I will be making it soon though.
QueenSashy July 20, 2016
Congrats Abbie!!!!
aargersi July 20, 2016
Thank you so much!!! Your recipe is amazeballs and I want it, soon.
Madhuja July 19, 2016
This looks INCREDIBLE!!! Congratulations!! :)
love2cook July 18, 2016
I was another one of the testers and my family absolutely adored the salsa! The ginger gives it such an interesting kick! Good luck!!
Bevi July 18, 2016
Sounds pretty delicious to me, Abbie!
cookinginvictoria July 18, 2016
Congrats, Abbie! I tested this recipe, and we all loved it. Such a fun recipe to cook and eat. How did I miss that this had been picked as a finalist? Good luck!!
drbabs July 18, 2016
How did I miss this? Sounds so good!
QueenSashy July 18, 2016
... and I now realize we are up against each other :) Man, this looks like one terrific dish. Good luck!
inpatskitchen June 24, 2016
Fantastic!!!!