Alder Roasted King Salmon with Wild Fennel Pollen

Ingredients

• 1 (12 to 16 pound) King salmon, filleted into 2 halves with the skin on

Brine:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup anise flavored liqueur
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons wild fennel pollen or ground fennel seed
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 large Alder or Cedar planks

Directions

Mix sugar, salt, water, and anise flavored liqueur. Pour over salmon halves in a 3-inch deep pan. Marinate, chilled, in the brine mixture for 4 to 8 hours. Remove from brine and pat dry. Brush the salmon with oil. Season with wild fennel pollen, salt, and pepper. Place on Alder plank and soak in cold water overnight. Sometimes a nail through the tail end is used to hold the salmon in place. Lean the plank against an Alder wood fire that has mostly died down to very hot coals. Be careful not to let the plank catch fire. The heat and the smoke from the fire will cook and season the salmon. Serve right off the plank.