Recipe from Our California Table by Brian Talley

Fresh wild salmon is one of the true treasures of the Pacific. When the salmon are running in our coastal waters, I love to get the call from friends who fish and want to trade salmon for wine. The portabello mushrooms come from a mushroom farm I can see from my house. The soy sauce and brown sugar marinade in this dish results in a caramelized sweet and salty char that pairs nicely with Pinot Noir. If you have the time, this dish is even better prepared over an oak- wood fire, so that the components of smoke, earth, and sea combine in a soulful mélange.

Serves 4

Prep time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds wild salmon fillets, skin on
• 1 cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• Pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup leeks, white part only, sliced in half lengthwise
• 12 ounces portobello mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs—a mix of basil, marjoram, parsley

Instructions:

1. Place salmon fillets in a flat dish. Prepare a marinade by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Marinate the fish for 45 minutes.
2. Toss portobello mushrooms and leeks with remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then grill the vegetables, starting the mushrooms grill side down. Turn over and grill until liquid pools in the mushrooms, about 10 minutes total time. Chop mushrooms and leeks into pieces, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, remove salmon from marinade, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Grill salmon skin side up for about 4 minutes until nice grill marks form. Turn over and grill for another 4-6 minutes skin side down for another 4 to 6 minutes. Check for doneness. The salmon should be juicy and not dry.
4. Place salmon fillets over the top of the leek-and-mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, and drizzle with olive oil to taste.

Grilled salmon and Pinot Noir are a perfect match. Enjoy!