Recipe: Salmon Surprise

By mid-May, the season finally begins to soften around the edges. The long stretch of cold rain and grey skies starts giving way to milder evenings, open windows, and the quiet return of grilling season.

It may not be full summer warmth just yet, but it’s enough to linger outside a little longer and crave meals that feel fresh, bright, and meant for the backyard.

This fully grilled dinner brings everything together in one easy feast: salmon with lemon and dill, foil-packed new potatoes with sweet red pepper, and asparagus kissed by the flame and finished with Parmesan. Simple food for those first evenings when spring finally starts acting like itself.

Recipe: Grilled salmon with foil-packed new potatoes and Parmesan asparagus

A fully grilled feast with foil-wrapped
potatoes and Parmesan asparagus

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Salmon

• 1½–2 lbs salmon fillets (6–8 oz per person)
• 2 tsp olive oil*
• 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon, sliced
• Fresh dill for garnish

New potatoes and red pepper (foil packets)

• 2 lbs small new potatoes, cut into 1–2-inch chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2–3 tbsp olive oil*
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Marinated asparagus

• 1 lb asparagus, woody ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil*
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan

  *Optional: If you prefer butter to olive oil, use 1–2 tablespoons per item—toss the potatoes and asparagus with melted butter before grilling and brush the salmon with melted butter instead of olive oil.

Instructions

1. Prepare the potatoes and red pepper

1. Toss potatoes and red pepper with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Place in a large sheet of heavy-duty foil and fold into a sealed packet.
3. Grill over indirect medium heat for 25–30 minutes, shaking the packet occasionally, until potatoes are tender.

2. Marinate the asparagus

1. Toss trimmed asparagus with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
2. Let sit 10–15 minutes while the potatoes start cooking.

3. Grill the salmon

1. Brush salmon with olive oil and season with Old Bay, salt, and pepper.
2. Lay lemon slices on top.
3. Grill skin-side down over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, then flip carefully and grill another 3–4 minutes until cooked through. (Optional: cook in a foil packet for extra moisture.)

4. Grill the asparagus

1. Grill asparagus over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, turning once, until tender and slightly charred.
2. Remove from grill and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan.

5. Serve
   Plate salmon with foil-packed potatoes and Parmesan asparagus. Sprinkle fresh dill over the plate. Serve immediately.