Recipe: Herbed Salmon Made With Cannabis-Infused Butter

As a chef in the Pacific Northwest, I base my calendar year on the salmon runs, not the seasons. There’s something special about this species of fish; its flesh, its flavor, the perfect balance of ocean salt with something harder to explain, a savory umami-like note that can be enjoyed year-round. A dish like this deserves a cannabutter packed with flavor: enter a rich, roasted garlic butter that will delight the senses while taking you to new heights.

Note: Make sure to give yourself enough time to let the salmon sit and marinade, as well as enough time for the compound butter to re-solidify in the fridge.

Recipe: Herbed Salmon

Start to finish: 40 minutes active + 8-10 hours for salmon marinade

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate dosage: 3.5mg THC per serving (with infused butter)*

Ingredients

• 1 pound salmon fillet, skin on, deboned
• 2 teaspoons salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted and ground
• 1 tablespoon dill fronds
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoons roasted garlic or ground garlic
• 2 cups rock salt or coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon compound cannabutter (recipe below)

Directions

1. The night before the meal, mix the salt, pepper, fennel, dill, thyme, and roasted garlic in a small bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over the pink meat of the salmon. Lightly rub.
2. Wrap salmon in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight to season.
3. Preheat oven to 325°F and take salmon out of the fridge and unwrap.
4. Line the inside of a cast iron skillet with the rock salt, covering a half-inch of the bottom.
5. Place fillet of salmon, skin-side down, on top of the salt.
6. Bake in the oven on the middle rack, for 20-25 minutes until skin is translucent and pink.
7. Remove from oven and cover lightly with foil for 5 minutes.
8. Remove salmon from salt and add the compound cannabutter, allowing it to soften and slightly melt onto the salmon before serving.
9. Enjoy!

Recipe: Infused Compound Butter

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Yield: 1 cup

Approximate dosage: 10mg THC per tablespoon*

Ingredients

• 1 cup cannabutter, measuring approximately 10mg THC per tablespoon
• ¼ cup shallot, finely minced
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup dill, chopped
• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic

Directions

1. Bring cannabutter to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, forming a smooth and equal spread of ingredients throughout the butter.
3. Once mixed, transfer the compound butter mixture to a piece of parchment cut to about one foot in length.
4. Form the mixture into a log and wrap the parchment around it several times.  Twist the ends and rubber band them closed.
5. Store in the fridge until solid.

Tip: Substitute two teaspoons of garlic powder if you don’t have fresh cloves available.

*Note: The amounts of cannabutter specified in this recipe is a very loose suggestion; the actual amount you use should be modified based on the strength of your cannabutter and the potency you desire. Dosing homemade edibles can be tricky (click here to learn why), so the best way to test for potency is to start with one portion of a serving, wait one to two hours, then make an informed decision on whether to consume more. Always dose carefully and listen to your body, and never drive under the influence of cannabis.

Lead image: LOVE_LIFE/iStock