James Whetlor’s Barbecued & Herbed Side of Salmon

James Whetlor's barbecued salmon recipe requires you to use your barbecue as an oven, slowly roasting your salmon on a baking tray. Once the fish is just cooked, brush it with a simple herb marinade. It's the perfect centrepiece for a barbecue party.

5 minutes, plus barbecue lighting time prep, 30-40 minutes cook

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 side of salmon, centre cut (the thickest section)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large shallots, finely chopped

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

A couple of small bunches of herbs (tarragon, chervil, chives or flat-leaf parsley), leaves and stalks separated and roughly chopped

Method

Light your barbecue. When the coals have become embers, and it has reached a target temperature of 90–110°C, you are ready to start cooking.

Brush the salmon fillet all over with a little olive oil and lay on a baking tray. Season generously with salt and pepper, then top with the shallots, lemon zest and the chopped herb stalks.

Place the tray on the grill, close the lid and bake the salmon for about 30–40 minutes. You can tell it is done when the fish feels just firm to the touch and the white juices are just starting to break through the surface. You can rest it for 10 minutes then serve right away, or let it rest, covered in foil, for up to 2 hours before serving.

Gently brush the herbs and shallots off the salmon and add a squeeze of lemon juice, keeping the remaining lemon to serve as wedges at the table. Pull the salmon into big flakes and put onto a big platter or onto plates, topped with the chopped herb leaves. Serve with a salad of raw vegetables and leaves or grilled vegetables.