Gloria writes: “I have a whole salmon. I have never prepared salmon. I don’t know how to prepare it. Please help me.”

You’re in for a treat! I would grill it. Salmon is one of the best grilling fish around because it’s sturdy enough to stand up to the grill, is enhanced by wood flavors, and is oily enough to not dry out.

Here’s my favorite preparation.

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole salmon — cleaned, scaled, and head and fins removed
1 bunch fresh dill
3 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 - 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lemon — sliced
1/2 lemon — juiced
cooking oil
1 cup mayonaise
salt and ground white pepper

METHOD
Strip the dill from the stems (you needn’t be too careful about this, just get rid of the thicker stems) and mince finely. Mix dill, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper thoroughly with the mayonnaise. Taste and adjust seasonings.

About 30 minutes before cooking remove the salmon from the fridge and coat the cavity lightly with some of the mayonnaise. Stuff the cavity with thyme, rosemary, half of dill, and sliced lemon slices. Brush exterior of salmon with oil to keep it from sticking to the grill (some sticking is inevitable).

Prepare the grill. You want medium-low heat so if you’re using charcoal you may want to start it before preparing the salmon.

Place the salmon on the grill with the spine facing you, lower the lid, and cook for about 15 minutes. Using a pair of spatulas, roll the fish over to its other side, lower the lid and cook another 15 minutes. Serve with dilled mayonnaise as a sauce.

NOTES

• You’ll need two spatulas to roll the salmon over.
• The actual time for cooking will depend on the size of the fish and the grill’s heat. Charcoal will cool during the cooking process so you may want to begin a little warmer and cook a little longer.
• Mix any leftover salmon with leftover mayonnaise to make an outstanding sandwich spread.
• White pepper has a milder flavor than black pepper and doesn’t show up in white sauces, such as mayonnaise. But a little less black pepper does the same job.