Make the most of asparagus season with this simple dish that combines the subtle oils of fresh salmon with the crunch of asparagus, all held together with a zesty lemon butter. And the best bit? Each portion is wrapped in tin foil, making cleaning up a breeze!
SERVES 4
Ready in 30 Mins
INGREDIENTS:
- 1kg skin-on salmon fillets
- Salt & freshly-ground black pepper
- 200g melted butter
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 500g asparagus spears
- 4 lemon slices
- A few sprigs of dill, to garnish
METHOD:
- Preheat barbecue or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Lay out four pieces of aluminium foil onto a flat surface, each large enough to generously wrap the salmon. Mix melted butter, garlic, lemon zest and just a squeeze of lemon juice together in a bowl.
- Brush a little of the butter onto the foil, and place a piece of salmon, skin side down, onto the butter.
- Break off the woody ends of the asparagus, and divide them evenly between the four portions.
- Using your hands, lift and fold the edges of the aluminium foil to form individual trays, drizzle the lemon butter over each salmon and asparagus package, making sure your foil sides are strong enough that the butter doesn’t leak out.
- Using tongs, place the salmon and asparagus trays on the grill and close the lid of the barbecue (if you’re using an outdoor grill, use a little more aluminium foil and wrap salmon completely).
- Cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. Test it’s ready by inserting a fork into the thickest part of the salmon and gently pulling meat apart.
- Transfer foil ‘trays’ directly onto plates to serve. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Tip:
If you’re lucky enough to have someone with fishing skills around, this recipe will also work with kahawai, tarakihi or even mackerel.
